What Happened Before
by Maximumus
Summary: A human becomes a Pokemon... the time old story. But this is the tale of when the hero was human, going all the way from when the hero first met Grovyle to when they went to the past for the first time. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.
1. The Beach at Dusk

The fire flickered brightly on the logs. Outside, water lapped at the sands, a soothing background of sounds for the three of us that were huddled against the cold. My mind was spinning.

I came from the future.

I came from the future, and my purpose was to stop the planet's paralysis. I… I didn't know, this was all happening so fast. I just couldn't comprehend what was being told, and yet on some subconscious level, I knew that I wasn't being lied to; I knew this was the truth. I had dreamed up all kinds of 'pasts' for myself before, but this one was the only one that felt right.

He turned his head to me, bright green eyes fixing my brown ones. "So, Hero… you may not remember any of this, but… you were my closest friend. I worried about you when we were separated. I'm glad to see you safe." He looked me up and down. "Your appearance may have changed, and though you lost your memory… you're still you. And none of this alters the fact that you remain my friend."

He paused, and I thought I saw a tiny break in the outer façade of indifference. "Oh, Hero. I'm glad to see you again."

"We'll get the Time Gears," I said sternly, turning my head so I didn't have to look at him. "Time will not stop."

He nodded. "Okay then. The three of us will go together. But the hour is late. We're also exhausted from all the running we've done. We should rest up tonight. We'll leave in the morning."

My partner gave a brisk nod and said, "That'll do." I swept my tail over my partner's paw to let the Pokémon know I was here, I was ready to take on the world.

-0-

Later on I woke up to a rustling noise. Immediately, I sat up- I still didn't _entirely _trust that Time Gear-stealing outlaw.

Sure enough, it was him, getting up and moving to the edge of Sharpedo Bluff's cliff. He stared out over the water, melancholy. I picked myself up and sat next to him. He looked at me in surprise, but we sat in silence.

Finally, I broke the trance in the quietest voice. "I can't be the same person you once knew."

His eyes widened slightly. "But you are. You have the Dimensional Scream, your name is the same-"

"That's not what I mean. How can I be the same person, I mean, my intelligence and personality and all of that, when I lost my memory? Your experiences are what form you. I have to be different from… how I was."

He shook his head, eyes glittering. "Oh, but Hero, you're not. You're still just the same. Your mannerisms, the way you move. You're still you."

"I'm not." I shook my head adamantly, curling up. "I don't remember anything about how we were or what we did or how we met or… or… any of it. I'm in the dark here." I looked up at him. "You have to tell me."

He watched me for a long while, then edged nearer. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything. Tell me everything."


	2. I Saw Something Again

Closed eyes, tremoring lip. But the girl's jaw was set, and she reached out with stubbornness and touched the small pedestal.

Immediately her back arched, and she tried not to howl. She stayed locked like that for a few moments, then stumbled and kneeled. She was a human. Short, scrawny, hungry-looking, altogether not very memorable.

A huge forest sprawled out around her, but there was no wind blowing, and no sun or warmth. There was every shade of blacks and grays, but no color to be seen; dew hung suspended from blades of grass. Everything was dark. This was a paralyzed world, frozen in time. Nothing moving, nothing changing.

She stood in a clearing among the trees. Before her was a small stone with a groove in it. It looked as if something had once been set atop it. In the bushes behind, two green eyes were staring straight at her, but she took no notice.

"So I was right," she whispered, excitement thrumming on her voice. Her fingers were still brushing the stone platform. "This is it! Treeshroud Forest was home to a real, live Time Gear!"

Suddenly, she heard a rustle. For a second, she was paralyzed in fear, but then she spun around. Emerging from the undergrowth was a Pokémon, green and leafy. He had shrewd, clever eyes that missed nothing.

"Did you say Time Gear?" he asked.

She blinked for a moment, frozen. Then she snarled gutturally, and bolted.

The Pokémon saw her going and immediately pursued. Over fallen logs, darting around tree trunks; dodging sharp branches that scratched her and barreling through thorn bushes that cut her skin.

Unfortunately, the Pokémon was faster, smaller, lither. She still would have gotten away, juking, diving, and changing directions, despite him on her tail, but then- she lost her advantage. Her foot caught on a rock and she fell. Even though she immediately jumped to her feet, it was all the Pokémon needed.

He jumped in front of her, cutting her off. She turned to run again, but despaired of getting away. He faced her and held out his hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, don't run. I just want to talk."

She managed to smirk and found her voice. "Yeah, and I'm the queen of Temporal Tower. Now look." She spread out her hands. "We can either fight here, which believe me won't be very good for you- or you can just forget that this whole thing happened. It _never did._ You didn't see or hear _anything. _Kapeesh?"

He returned her smirk. "Or, you know, there's option C- none of the above. You don't have to worry about me ratting you out to the Sableye. 'Cause, you know, discussing Time Gears is highly _forbidden._" He said 'forbidden' mockingly. She suppressed a smile.

He added, "Because really, I do only want to _talk._"

She watched him warily, then gave a nod and said, "Go on."

Bluntly, he got straight to the point. "You have the Dimensional Scream ability, don't you?"

She stiffened and silently cursed to the high heavens. This was just great! He knew! "So what if I do?"

"Well, how did you get away? Everyone with the Dimensional Scream was supposed to be killed… that's why humans are nearly extinct. But obviously you're _not _killed, so how?"

She gave him a withering look. "I was orphaned at a young age? I didn't even know what the Dimensional Scream was until I was ten; I though the visions I got were some… weird psychological phenomenon, that there was something wrong with me. And there was no family to hand me over to Dialga's Sableye. I fended for myself."

He nodded as if it were pretty much what he expected. "Alright, so, next question. What _is_the Dimensional Scream?"

_Is he joking? _He seemed pretty serious as she inspected him. "Are you kidding me?"

"No. I've heard of it: that it's an ability that has to do with Time Gears. But nobody would tell me anything about it."

"Right, because talking about Time Gears is _forbidden._" They shared a short smile as she mimicked his earlier tone.

"Precisely. So?"

She sighed, ran her hand over her hair, looked around to make sure nobody was watching. "It's not exactly something I'd like to discuss with a stranger who just chased me across half of Treeshroud Forest."

"Look, if you don't tell me, I'll scream to high heavens and call attention to every Sableye in the area."

She gaped. "You wouldn't! I'd be arrested!"

"Try me!"

She looked at his stoic, grim face. She really didn't want to try him.

She buried her hands in her face, gave a big groan, and then sighed. She drawled as if from memory, "The Dimension Scream is an ability that is triggered by touch. If you touch a Time Gear-related area, you get visions concerning them."

He stared in breathless wonder. "That's amazing," he breathed.

"Yeah, it is. Is that all?" She shot daggers with her eyes. "Are you still holding me hostage, or can I go now?"

"No, you can't," he said, stepping closer. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. "You're chasing Time Gears, I've seen that much. In fact, I came to that spot because I heard whisper that a Time Gear was there too. Surely you have a reason for hounding a myth, a legend. I bet I know what it is- I bet it's the very same as mine! So I've decided." He crossed his arms. "I want to team up with you so that we can reverse the planet's paralysis."


	3. Oh No!

Her initial reaction was laughter, incredulity.

Then she realized that he was serious.

Then her stomach dropped like a rock.

"What?" she practically whispered in dismay. Her voice was hoarse.

"Come on," he said. "Say yes!"

She stared. "_No._"

He looked affronted, as if he hadn't ever imagined the possibility of being turned down. "Come again?"

"For the love of Arceus- no!" She shook her head quickly. "I'm not going to work with you, I'm not going to work with anyone. I'm what they call a lone agent!"

"Hey, look-"

"No 'hey, look'! I'm not going to tie myself down to any one person." Again, she shook her head. "Not happening, sorry, but uh-uh." Now she watched him hostilely, bristling. "So go away! I'm stopping the planet's paralysis _on my own!_"

His mouth worked noiselessly for a moment. But they each jumped a mile when they heard that quiet, telltale sound from the bushes: "Wheh-heh-heh…"

It was him who yelled in a panic, "Sableye!"

And she who screeched, "_Run!_"

The Sableye had overheard only the end of the conversation when the girl had yelled- that was what had caught their attention. But it was enough for them. They poured out from the bushes and swarmed after them. Together, human and Pokémon sprinted through the forest- their enmity only minutes ago was forgotten as they fled.

The Sableye were small and there were a lot of them. Suddenly, one leaped from the ground and clung to the girl's back. Without even thinking, the Pokémon slashed it off with one of the leaf blades on his forearm. In return, the girl pivoted and smacked a Sableye mid-leap on its route to his head.

And just like that, they were surrounded.

"Ten-ten?" he shouted.

"Ten-ten!" she agreed. Back-to-back, surrounded by a circle of Dialga's best spies, minions, and law enforcers, they fought. Each of them took on half of the Sableye, but if they saw the other in trouble, they paused to help.


	4. Defy the Legends

Sableye were easily defeated, but there were too many. The girl spotted a break in the enemy lines; grabbing the Pokémon's wrist, she shouted, "This way!" They ran.

The Pokémon yanked her and they dove to the side, scampering into the trunk of a hollow tree. They heard the Sableye rush right past them, trampling the ground and scuttling like the disgusting creatures they were.

Finally, the last "wheh-heh-heh" drifted into darkness…

It was pitch black inside the tree. The space was tiny. They were squashed together, so each could feel the other's trembling. Afraid to breathe, they waited for at least another ten minutes- but it felt like an hour. Shaken, they crawled out from their hidey-hole and collapsed on the ground.

"Well, that was… close," he rasped.

She could only nod dumbly. Finally, she said in return, "You're a good fighter."

He gave her a wan smile. "Well, you have to be."

She closed her eyes and leaned back, flicking her fingers to show her agreement. She understood all too well what he meant. In this world, where everything was dark, a Pokémon could only fend for itself. It was a terrible existence of fear, of hunger, never trusting, never hoping. You had to know how to fight to survive in a place like that.

That was the problem, of course. She winced. He really _was _a good fighter. There had been so many Sableye. On her own… well, even if she had managed to get away, she would have been injured, afraid, alone. If you were so injured you couldn't move, you were dead, that was the truth of it. Nobody was gonna just bring you food or medicine. If you couldn't find it yourself, you'd die.

But with this Pokémon at her side, it had made things so much easier. She saw the opportunity right before her: she could envision the ease having him fight alongside her would bring. And it was tempting. _So _tempting. But could she trust him?

"Hey." He extended a hand. "I'm Grovyle."

She hesitated, then shook his hand. "My name's Hero."

Grovyle smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you, Hero."

Hero jerked back as if she had been stung. She couldn't take her eyes off his smile. It was so- pure? True? He actually meant it. He really _did _think it was nice to meet her. She clenched her hands in the dirt stiffly. For whatever reason… it set her teeth on edge. Because, why has he acting like that? In this world, Pokémon don't just go around smiling like they're genuinely happy… like it's something other than a mask.

"We ought to move," Hero said, standing up and briskly brushing her pants off. "Those Sableye have probably realized they've been tricked, and they'll be doubling back."

Grovyle gave a sly grin as he stood too. "'We' ought to move?"

Hero managed to keep her face completely indifferent as she slung her pack over her shoulder. "Unless you'd rather stay here and get shredded by Fury Swipes."

Grovyle smiled and followed her.


	5. Treeshroud Forest

"So," Grovyle asked as they walked. Treeshroud Forest was far in the distance behind them; they had been alternately jogging and running for the past day. Now they were heading for a place Hero knew to get some supplies. "What do you have in your pack?"

Hero looked back in surprise. They were walking briskly, and she, ever impatient, was striding ahead of him. "My- oh." She pulled off the bag that she had slung across her chest. "Here." She tossed it back to him.

He smirked as he caught it. "Not like we could pause walking for even a second to look inside."

"That would waste time," she said in a short tone of voice, turning her head stiffly.

Behind her back, Grovyle raised a leaf to his mouth to hide his smile. Look at her, all haughty, taking those fierce, striding steps. He could not pin her. From what he'd picked up, she was snobbish, stubborn, a loner, sarcastic, untrusting and untrustworthy; however, she was great in a fight, and… despite all of the evidence contrary, those few smiles she had given him when they first met seemed to tell him that she wasn't as stoic as she seemed. But what he didn't get was why someone so… abrasive was looking to reverse the planet's paralysis. People like her could flourish in this world if they just gave into their darker desires.

He flipped her pack open as he hurried to keep up, taking out the contents and examining them. It wasn't a very fancy pack, with just one main pouch made of what seemed to be Rattata pelts sewn together. Everything was crammed into it messily.

First he found six slightly bruised Oran berries. Next, a lot of grimy food and one shiny big apple. A canteen of water. Orbs- mainly flash orbs and escape orbs. Some blast seeds. And one accordion-folded, wrinkled map at the very bottom.

Curious, Grovyle unfolded the map. It was a very detailed, complete map with a key and everything. Different areas were shaded in different colors for level of danger. He looked it over in pure shock. This item… so many Pokémon would kill to obtain this. Heck, _he_ would have killed to obtain this. His eyes darted to the back of Hero's head and he briefly wondered how she'd gotten it. Then he shrugged, not particularly caring. He put everything back into the pack carefully.

"Here," he called, tossing it back. "I organized it for you."

She lifted her eyebrows and strapped it back over her torso. She kept walking. Grovyle hurried up.


	6. Never Safe

The place Hero had suggested they go to was a settlement that Grovyle recognized. As a general rule all Pokémon just roamed alone, surviving, perhaps having nests or territories that they returned to at night, but there was no civilization. However, Pokémon usually congregated around the trade stalls that popped up occasionally. These high-traffic areas were called settlements- it was also where the Sableye administered public punishment or posted outlaws and bounties on bulletin boards so anyone passing through could see.

Hero winced inwardly as she noticed eyes following her. Humans _were _pretty rare, after all. She glared at them back, slouching toward the center of the settlement. That's where the bulletin board and the more… dangerous trade stalls were. Grovyle was slipping along behind her, silent as a shadow.

_…He has quiet dignity,_ she thought, considering him. _Grovyle…_

"Hey! You!"

Hero's head snapped up, and she immediately went on the defensive. Two big Kecleon were sliding out from behind their booths and storming over, faces plastered with rage. She groaned, stepping back quickly. Grovyle gave her a look, and glanced at the approaching Pokémon warily.

"We know you!" roared one of the Kecleon, sending Hero thundering glares. "You're that chick who stoled those orbs off us three days ago!"

Hero winced while Grovyle gaped in incredulity.

"Why would you go back to the place where you stole from several _very large_, ah, gentlemen?" Grovyle hissed.

"I didn't think it would be a problem!" she hissed back. "They looked a lot weaker in dim light!"

Grovyle threw up his hands. "In dim light!"

One of the Kecleon cracked his knuckles. "This your chick?" he snarled to Grovyle. Hero looked insulted.

"We don't care whose chick you are, but you're gonna wish you never screwed with us- we're gonna make you wish you were never _born!_" sneered the other Kecleon, moving towards Hero. She scowled back, furious enough to make them both flinch and move backwards quickly.

But it turned out it wasn't their fear of Hero that made them retreat. Grovyle and Hero spun around; their eyes widened as they, too, in turn backed up. There was a troupe of Sableye right behind them.

"Wheh-heh-heh…"


	7. Monster House!

A disgusting nausea overcame Grovyle to see all those purple bodies moving in on them, giving off that signature cry and clicking their teeth.

_I have to remember,_ he kept calmly reminding himself. _They can't know Hero has the Dimensional Scream. They can't know that I'm searching out the Time Gears. Just keep cool- if anything, they're investigating why we ran earlier!_

Hero, it seemed, did not have the same idea in mind, because suddenly she bolted to the right. Some of the Sableye went after her, but most of them jumped onto Grovyle. The Kecleons were nowhere to be seen; they had taken off at a single hint of danger.

Hero leaped over a stall; she kicked it over behind her. The Sableye squealed and scattered, nearly crushed, but kept chasing her. Then she spun, still backpedaling, and kicked a Sableye in the face. With a backhand blow, she sent another flying.

Grovyle, meanwhile, was also holding his own. His and Hero's eyes met, and they ran for each other.

"Ten-ten?" he shouted.

"More like twenty-twenty," she said.

"Is that a hint of worry in your voice?" he teased. "Is the all-powerful Hero filled with fear?"

"Not on your life!"

The Sableye bodies began to pile up at their feet. Grovyle's head was filled with the rush of battle. The only thing that he could concentrate on was the enemy, and the enemies that rose to take each fallen foe's place. The only thing breaking through the haze was the shriek that came from behind him.

He slashed a Sableye as he turned to see Hero. She looked swamped by Sableye, thrashing. She was taking out several with every hit, but there were at least three clinging to her body. He snarled and tore them off her.

And that was the last of them. All the Sableye lay fainted.

Their arms were still raised defensively as they looked around. There were no more enemies, but every eye of every Pokémon in the settlement was on them.

"Hero," Grovyle whispered.

She didn't move.

"Hero, let's _go._"

Hero gave a small nod. She grabbed her pack from where she'd left it, scooped up some fallen supplies from the overturned stall, and they ran. Nobody chased them, but just watched in silence.


	8. Goodnight

That night they made camp, unable to think about much of anything. Burning limbs and burning lungs and burning wounds occupied all their attention, and they nursed themselves in silence until finally Hero could take it no longer. She was exhausted, and she knew he was too.

She stopped walking. Grovyle stopped to look back at her, too tired to be quizzical.

"I can't go any further," she said adamantly. "Let's make camp here." She shook her head. There was a break in the stubbornness, and her eyes beseeched him as she asked, "Please?"

Grovyle's eyes softened. She acted so tough, but in reality… "Alright. Come on."

It was wearisome, and she wanted nothing more than to just drop and crash at that very spot. But they went a little further to find a nice sheltered area, and slowly gathered up bedding and divided out small portions of grimy food.

Hero curled up and closed her eyes. The makeshift nest was itchy, and it poked at her many scratches. But she was used to it. She'd lived in this world for twelve long years. But even in all that time, she had never caught the attention of the Sableye… for a human with the Dimensional Scream, her unremarkableness was what kept her alive.

"Grovyle," she whispered.

He gave a small grunt to let her know he was awake.

"We didn't find out anything today… we didn't talk to anyone… or find out anything about the Time Gears. I screwed everything up… now the Sableye are on our tails, and…" She trailed off. "It was a waste of a day. It was my fault." She swallowed her pride and said in a low voice, "I apologize."

There was a pause. She heard straw shifting as he rolled over to face her.

"Hero, there are going to be roadblocks. We will not find the location of a Time Gear every day and manage to defeat Primal Dialga and reverse the planet's paralysis in a week. But what you can't afford to do is just dwell on the mistakes."

Primal Dialga. They both shuddered as they envisioned the leader of this world of darkness- dictator better described it. Primal Dialga ruled everything, and _he_ certainly wanted the planet to stay paralyzed.

Hero's face was buried in her knees, but she gave a slow nod and untangled her body. "Yes… I know. But… it's hard not to be discouraged…"

He did not want to smile. It was too tiring. But for Hero's sake, he did it.

She looked at Grovyle's smile, and it rubbed her the wrong way again. Who smiled like that? Who could have a smile that shrugged off the worries of the world? But for whatever reason, Grovyle did.

Before he could say anything else, she said abruptly, "The Sableye have already chased us. They may not know what we're doing, but after today… ugh. You know how it is."

"I know," sighed Grovyle. "If anybody takes notice of us… and if the Sableye just happen to ask around… well, it's not like anybody would protect us."

They contemplated that in silence for a moment. Finally, Grovyle rubbed his hands together and suggested softly, "Since we have to get up early tomorrow morning, let's get some sleep now." He lay down and looked over at her. "Good night, Hero."

"…Good night," she mumbled. The darkness was complete, even the little light day brought gone. She listened to his steady breathing for a long time before again whispering: "Grovyle."

"I'm still awake." He waited patiently.

"We're partners now. Aren't we."

"Yep. We are."

"…Good night."

"G'night."

Hero burrowed into her bedding. Snuggled deep into the straw, she fell asleep.


	9. Planmaking

Hero seemed jauntier the next morning, more determined, and a little more trusting. They were both a little sore, but after a good night's sleep the world just looked much better. She helped Grovyle collect their supplies and scatter the remnants of their camp. It was as if they'd never been there at all.

Evidence so eliminated, she took a seat on a rock and pulled out the map. "So what now?" she asked, looking at Grovyle as she shook it out. He scooted closer and they both pored over the map.

"So the darkest red areas are the most dangerous," he affirmed, tracing a finger over the faded crimson ink.

She nodded. "That's right. Here"—she lightly touched a dark orange area—" is where that first Time Gear is. In the heart of Treeshroud Forest."

"Right," said Grovyle. "I had heard whispers that there was a Time Gear there, but it took a lot of effort for me to find out. I had to find people, go places, and it took almost six months before I'd gathered enough information to pinpoint Treeshroud."

Hero bobbed her head in understanding. "But I have no idea where to look next…"

Grovyle likewise looked depressed. "Yep. I don't know any more leads. Except…" He frowned.

"Except?"

"I know an old Slowbro who lives about four days' worth of hard travelling from here. He knows a lot of lore about the past." Grovyle paused, furrowing his brow. "He's never said anything about Time Gears. But I'd bet anything that he knows something."

"All we need is to be pointed in the right direction," Hero said, eyes bright as she leaned forward. "If we only get a hint, we can find the next Time Gear!" She was bouncing with excitement, cheeks ruddy and hair wisps floating.

Lightning quick, Grovyle sprung over and clapped his hand over her mouth. Eyes darting frantically, he hissed, "Don't just go yelling about _you know!_ That's what brought them down on us last time!"

They looked around worriedly, just waiting for that "wheh-heh-heh". But nothing came.

Grovyle let Hero go awkwardly. She rubbed her jaw.

"Well, let's find that Slowbro," she said at last after a stretch of just staring at each other. "That seems like our best bet."

Grovyle nodded. "Alright, let's move." Things were slightly tense as Grovyle folded the map, Hero grabbed the pack, and they set off. But there were two things different from when they first travelled together: one, the anxiety was not aimed at each other. In fact, they were each comforted by the other's presence. They shared a long, trusting look. It was soothing, gave the future more stability. Leading to the second difference… this time they had a plan, and they had hope. They set off across the dark world.

(Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95!)


	10. Barren Valley

Hero followed Grovyle as they picked their way across the terrain. It was darker than usual here, with rocks everywhere and scrubby trees shooting from the ground in some places. Pointed boulders floated silently in place.

"It should be around here," said Grovyle as he pulled himself over one of the larger hills of rock. "This is Slowbro's territory now, certainly."

Hero wrinkled her nose at the barren area, anger welling up inside her. She clamped her hands over her ears and screwed her eyes shut. Sometimes… sometimes, the whole _world _felt so stifling. Death and danger always floated above their heads, threatening to descend. Especially for a human. Especially for a human with the illegal Dimensional Scream ability. Especially for an illegal human Dimensional Screamer who was hunting the outlawed Time Gears.

The whole world made her mad, it made her angry. This was a world of darkness. Despair. She wasn't truly living; if so, she was living in _hell, _and she didn't deserve it!

"Hero?"

She opened her eyes to see Grovyle pretty far ahead of her, staring back with a concerned expression on his face.

"Hero, are you okay? We're here."

Flushing, Hero hastened over to him. A cavelike den was dug out of one of the rock hills. Hero glanced at Grovyle.

"What do you think? Do we call out?" she whispered.

Grovyle snorted, a naughty gleam in his eye. "Not us. We barge in uninvited without announcing ourselves and hope Slowbro's in a good mood." Confidentially, the grass type added, "He's a crotchety old coot." Hero giggled. Lucky for him, Hero didn't notice Grovyle's eyes widening just a notch in surprise at the laughter. They headed into the den, the shadows hiding the ghost of a smile on Grovyle's face.

Inside, a Pokémon sitting at a makeshift stone table looked up at them. This Hero assumed was Slowbro, and she watched warily from behind Grovyle.

"Well, hello there," Slowbro said slowly, looking at them and rising from his seat. "Grovyle. I sensed you outside with my psychic powers, but could not make sense of the other presence I felt. I see you have a friend."

"Yep," Grovyle answered. "This is Hero."

"Yo," grunted Hero, eyeing Slowbro.

"I assume you did not come to chat," Slowbro said. He gestured. "Come, take a seat. Tell me why you came."

Hero hesitated with a frown etched into her forehead. Grovyle gave her a quick nod while Slowbro's back was turned, and she followed him, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Grovyle and Hero glanced at each other, and Hero said, "We wanted to know about the Time Gears. We hoped that you might know about their, ah… whereabouts."

Slowbro narrowed his eyes, giving them a shrewd look. "This is a dangerous topic to dance around," he said. "One might wonder why you want to know. But I've never been one to probe… I have heard tell of a lake in the sky. They say that is where a Time Gear once was."

"A lake?" Hero frowned.

"In the sky?" Grovyle echoed. "Can you tell us any more?"

"No. That is all I know. But I suggest you find Braviary. She is the master of the skies. She would know about any lake in sky, were there one."

Grovyle stood up. Hastily, Hero followed suit, and kept a close eye on Slowbro as they left.

(Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95!)


	11. Vast Ice Mountain

Though it was daytime, darkness still hung like a cloud over everything. As Hero and Grovyle travelled, the area became more and more mountainous. Crags loomed over them, cracks in the rock that Hero wouldn't enter even if her life depended on it. She held the map in her hands, examining it with pursed lips and walking slower than her impatient self usually did.

Grovyle glanced back, noticing her change of pace. "Are you tired already? We can't rest yet, Hero." She gave him a dry look, and he grinned sheepishly, seeing the map in her hands. "Oh. What are you looking at?" He went over.

"See this here?" she asked, pointing. "That's where we are. Mountain Crag. Braviary's territory is there." She poked a pale pink area. "This is where we are, taking the green path there. But I was thinking. If we went _this_ way, along the Mountain Pass, then we'll shave days off our journey."

"Yes, but look at the color Mountain Pass is. Orange. That's fairly dangerous," Grovyle said.

"Fairly, yes," she admitted. "But we should be able to make it. It's not as bad as, say, Treeshroud." They shivered in remembrance of the Sableye attack. Speaking of Sableye, they hadn't seen hide nor tail of them for almost a week- not that Hero was complaining.

Grovyle sighed, running a hand over his ponytail-like leaf. She was right, of course, to some degree. "Yes, it would be great to have a shorter travelling period." Travelling always felt like it was wasting time, in his opinion. "But… it's dangerous to go that way. Taking extra risks may not be such a great idea."

"I just… want to get it done. You know?" Hero shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed. "I don't want any extra danger either, but…"

Grovyle thought about it. He really didn't want to have to travel a whole week and a half to go around the mountain and get to Braviary's territory. Mountain Pass…. of course, how bad could it be?

"Alright, let's go this way," he said authoratively. "But we need to keep our guard up."

Hero gave a short laugh. "When have you ever known me not to?" She smiled.

A smile. Huh. It felt good. They grinned at each other. Grovyle gave her a thumbs up, and they kept going.

(Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95!

In other news, somebody brought up a question as to why Hero can understand Grovyle... ha ha, I hadn't really thought of that. ^^; Actually, that question had never occurred to me for all the time I'd been playing Explorers of Sky. I assumed they'd be able to understand each other, I guess. Oh well. I'm not going to incorporate that into the story, so just know that it's the scatterbrained-ness of the author here.

Also, I'm actually writing chapter _20_ right now. But since I don't want to have to work too hard, I'm only releasing one a week... unless I get, let's say, five more reviews? Alright, guys! **I'll submit one chapter early for every two reviews I get! **Love, Max~)


	12. Persians on the Mountain Pass

The Mountain Pass was a relatively thin path jutting out of and winding around the mountainside. On one side was the huge slab of stone that was the mountain—on the other, a sheer cliff down unimaginable height.

Everything was very gray and stark. There wasn't anywhere to hide. Which_ sounded_ negative, but in reality washed Hero in relief—there wasn't a spot for anything else to be lurking, either. No chance for an ambush.

Even as Hero was thinking that, something caught Grovyle's ear. She could tell by the way he stopped suddenly, tilting his head and frowning as if trying to pinpoint the noise. She couldn't hear it, but trusted his Pokémon hearing better than her own. Suddenly, his eyes widened. She followed his gaze—and looked up.

What Grovyle had heard was the skittering of Persian claws on stone as they leaped onto the floating boulders from a higher crag. Hero snarled, rolling out of the way just in time, as a Persian leapt down right where she had just been standing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Grovyle diving in the opposite direction. "Grovyle!" Oh, no—they'd already be separated!

There was a whole clan of Persians, about four or five of them; all heavy, snarling cats with fangs as big as her hand and wickedly curved claws. These were not domestic kitties—they were more like mountain lions. The clan split, half of them going for Hero.

"Whoa!" shouted Hero, as the closest Persian hissed. Its muscles bunched and it pounced. She managed to smack it out of the way, feeling how densely packed its body was. But there was another one to take its place.

The next Persian's paws caught Hero in the shoulders, slamming her back against the mountainside. It rattled her brains. With a cry, she twisted and broke free, clothing ripping. But immediately she was batted by another Persian—she went flying, almost skidding right over the side of the cliff.

She picked herself up and threw herself at a Persian. She kicked its front leg, right at the major muscle group. It collapsed for just a moment, and she managed to heave it at another Persian. Spinning, hissing, scratching, biting, punching, she was a human twister in the midst of lions.

(Wow guys, thanks! Only like two days after I put up chapter eleven I got several reviews, so here's a chapter early! You guys are going to work me so hard. XD Remember, the more reviews I get, the earlier I'll put stuff up!

And many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95! As to the reviewer who was concerned that I do not say that I don't own Pokémon, well, as this if a _fanfiction_ website I think that can be assumed… however, for future reference, yes, I don't own Pokémon.)


	13. How Annoying

Grovyle was trying his best to keep up against the whirlwind of cat that was attacking him. They were heavy and strong. But he Quick Attacked and Leaf Bladed with all of his might. He was strong, too. But their Fury Swipes and Bite attack were nothing to belittle. He felt himself growing weaker, but he had knocked out two of them, too; and the others were injured.

As the battle sputtered out for a moment, he risked a glance in Hero's direction. He saw one of her Persians fall off the edge of the cliff, yowling all the way down.

Then he was thrown to the ground. A Persian landed on him, knocking his breath out in a _whoompf. _It had to weigh at least one hundred pounds. His vision flashed as long fangs sank into his shoulder. "Ahh!" He grabbed its head and tried to push it away, but it had a firm grip. The two of them struggled, Grovyle's shoulder feeling like it was going to rip off. He was bleeding. Then the Persian reared back and gave him a vicious scratch in the chest, as another one jumped forward to join in.

The weight on his chest was blessedly removed as Hero barreled into the Persian's flank. _Oh, Hero, good. I like her, _he remembered thinking hazily, propping himself up on his good shoulder. He wasn't completely there in his head. The pain was searing into him like a Persian's claws, making everything fuzzy around the edges.

Hero planted herself in front of him and he heard her shouting, "Do _not_touch him, or you'll get it!" He heard the Persians hissing, but she made a couple of feints and they shimmied back, watching her warily. Hero turned to him, her face looking worried. She leaned down. "Are you okay?"

He didn't have enough time to answer yes, 'cause he blacked out. How annoying.

(To celebrate the holidays (and make up for the inactivity that was caused by my WiFi-inaccessible vacation)... chapter mania! I'll be uploading like crazy. Enjoy~ Thanks to Shinzoku95, my beta!)


	14. Grovyle to the Rescue

Hero tried not to barf as she wiped her hands yet again on her ragged, dirty pants. There was a little blood on her, but it was Grovyle's. After he passed out, she bandaged his shoulder—an ordeal she never wanted to go through again, because she had no medical expertise. Mainly because she didn't like blood, pus, festering, infection, or sickness of any kind. That's why she didn't use knives, only her fists.

She was carrying Grovyle. Or trying to. He was heavy, and although he couldn't have weighed more than fifty pounds, she was fairly small and it was difficult to carry him for long distances. Her face darkened with determination. It wasn't like she would have been able to stay there with him until he woke up. The Persians could have come back.

The funny thing was, just leaving him there was an option that never occurred to her. It came to show how attached she felt to him already. It was hard to believe they'd been travelling together for only two and a half weeks. She didn't actually want to admit the way her lungs had momentarily stopped working… her racing pulse… the panic that struck her heart when she'd seen him collapse.

Her mind was taken off this when she finally stopped for a rest. Her sweat had turned cold and she was getting dizzy. She laid Grovyle down carefully and brushed his leaf out of his face tenderly. She pulled out a Plain Seed and nibbled it a little—she couldn't afford to eat any of the real supplies. Grovyle would need those to get his strength back up when he awakened.

"The question now is, how to find Braviary," sighed Hero out loud, sinking back and taking a swig from the canteen. It seemed like an impossible task. Everything seemed daunting without Grovyle right there to give them a plan…

Even Hero's regular old human ears could pick up the sound that suddenly bounced around the Mountain Pass, echoing and growing louder: giant wing flaps. Hero looked up speechlessly as a huge, _gigantic _red and white bird descended. Each of its feathers had to be as long as Hero's entire body.

"You called?" asked the bird, looking down imperiously.

Hero scrambled back. Her mouth was empty of words. This creature—it was so gargantuan, that it could only be… "Are you Braviary?"

"I believe that's been established. Aren't you some tasty morsels. You are brave, coming into my territory." Braviary cocked her head.

Hero's throat clenched closed. "I'm Hero, this is Grovyle," she croaked, voice practically a squeak.

"Well met, Hero and Grovyle. Now prepare to die."

And Braviary's huge beak descended with lightning fast speed at Hero—who was looking awfully small in comparison.

"AGH!" Hero shrieked as she flung herself aside. The rock exploded and pebbles stung her skin where Braviary's beak cracked the stone. Before she could even react, one of Braviary's scaly feet had grabbed her up. The grip was like iron, pinning both her arms to her side. She was lifted up, up, up to a dizzying height, so that even Grovyle, still lying on the ground, looked tiny. Hero's face paled as she was brought closer to Braviary's gaping beak. She struggled with all her might, to no avail.

"Let me _GO!_" she screamed, kicking her feet and trying to spread Braviary's claws apart. As always, when she was afraid, thundering anger flashed across her face. She bellowed, "I'm not going to be eaten by some oversized, fancied-up pigeon! You are a feathered elephant! You are a chicken on steroids! You are a Pidgey hopped up on Rare Candies! Let me _go!_"

Suddenly, Braviary let out a squawk of pain that ricocheted around the mountain like a gunshot. She nearly dropped Hero. They both looked down in shock to see that Grovyle had stabbed Braviary in the toe with one of his razor sharp leaves.

"Hey, she's my partner," he slurred with an admonishing glare. "Don't kill her. That would make finding the Time Gears reaaaally hard."

(Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95!)


	15. Braviary

Braviary hesitated. Hero flinched back—she could feel the bird's hot breath on her face, and it wasn't exactly comfortable

"Time Gears?" Braviary asked, accidentally squeezing Hero a little. She coughed and spluttered.

"_Yes!_" she gasped. "Can you tell us anything about a lake in the sky?"

Braviary considered this, eyes narrowing. "Why do you want to know about the Time Gears?"

Hero decided that, while it was _not _the best choice to go bandying this information around and about, it would be okay to tell Braviary—the main incentive being to stop the Pokémon from popping her head off like the lid off a pickle jar.

"I have the Dimensional Scream, and we want to reverse the planet's paralysis!"

There was a stretch of silence before Braviary put Hero down. Hero stumbled and immediately fell onto her butt.

"I do not know anything about the Time Gears," Braviary rumbled, ruffling her feathers. "However, I have often seen this lake in the sky." She lifted her beak and pointed it southwest. "There. It is not a long journey from where we stand, in the very heart of my territory."

Hero was barely listening, gasping for air and clutching her throat. _Thank Arceus, I'm alive! _She glanced at Grovyle, who was looking a little pale and woozy, leaning on Braviary's foot to stay upright, and looked back up at Braviary.

The giant bird's eyes softened. "And… I wish you luck. Nobody could understand how difficult it is to fly in a world without wind." With a loud flap of her wings—and not a single breeze to be felt—Braviary left, soaring until she was just a dot in the sky.

(Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95!)


	16. The Lake in the Sky

"Are you _sure _you're okay?" Hero asked worriedly.

Grovyle flicked his fingers in annoyance. "_Yes,_ Hero. I'm _exactly _as okay as I have been the last ten times you've asked."

Hero sighed as she walked. They were in a cave that they'd found at the base of a… hill? A mountain? The slope was tall and steep, but fog concealed the heights, so there was no telling how high it went. According to Braviary it would lead all the way up to Fogbound Lake. The lake in the sky.

But she was just so worried about Grovyle. Okay, he looked perfectly fine, his wounds were healing up, he was able to walk, he was eating normally, it was just…

"I hate seeing those bandages on you," she said lamely. She sighed again, closing her eyes. "Grovyle… what if… what if there isn't any Time Gear there after all?"

Grovyle flinched inwardly; he'd been wondering the same thing. But he could see that Hero needed reassurance, so he just gave her a confident look and said, "Then we'll keep looking."

She shook her head, brushing her hair back. "But it took so long just to get here. We nearly _died_ several times just to get here." Her eyes darted to Grovyle's bandages. _I have some injuries too, but, I mean,_ I _didn't black out from them… I hope that we can just get in, check for the Time Gear, and get out without any trouble…_

Suddenly, a horrible thought hit her. Panicky, she grabbed Grovyle's shoulder. "Grovyle! What if there _is_ a Time Gear there, but for whatever reason my Dimensional Scream doesn't activate? What if we leave and there really _is_a Time Gear here and we never know and we're just searching forever and—"

Grovyle cut her off. "Uh, Hero, it'll be fine. If there's a Time Gear, it'll activate," he said, a hint of laughter in his voice.

Rolling her eyes, she gave him a little shove. Voice dripping with playful sarcasm, she drawled, "Don't laugh at me. How about YOU try having some super special ability that supposed to save the world, but not even knowing how to use it. Let's see you laugh then."

"Ha-ha," said Grovyle, bumping her back. He hesitated, then pointed. "Hey, Hero! Do you see that up there?"

Hero concentrated. Her eyesight wasn't as good as Grovyle's, but if she squinted hard she could just barely see… yes, there was a faint outline of something up ahead, hard to make out through the swirling black fog. She flapped her arms as if to blow the fog away. "Yeah, barely. Ugh! If only this fog weren't here! We could walk right past a Time Gear in this and never even know it!"

"The fog's been worrying me too," he admitted. "We could explore here for hours and think we've scoured every inch of the place, when in reality we've been going in circles the whole time... well, let's check that thing out. Maybe we're lucky and it'll trigger the Dimensional Scream right off the bat."

Lucky. Ha. They shared a glum look as they hastened toward the shape. 'Lucky' was not their forte.

"Whoa…" murmured Hero, skidding to a stop as they approached.

"Whoa's right," muttered Grovyle.

The thing they'd spotted was a huge statue. It was rough, worn by weather and time. The features were almost obliviated. The statue's head had broken off and was lying at its feet. "I recognize this head—it seems to be the legendary Pokémon of land, Groudon," said Grovyle. He knelt and brushed the dust off it, then immediately looked surprised. "Wow… Hero, this mist is so cool, but the statue is radiating inner heat. Here, you feel!" He moved over to allow her room.

Hero got down on both knees. She stretched out a hand and rested it on the statue's head.

Instantly, the world went black. Then one pure line of white split her vision and expanded until…

All kinds of things, visions, images, flashed through her head and made her feel dizzy: cool flecks of water that caught in her eyelashes, the Groudon statue when it was still young and magnificent, a bright red gem that she could feel warm in her hands, a hand pressing the stone into a groove in Groudon's chest, the fog swirling away to reveal a beautiful landscape of waterfalls…

The scene slowly faded, and a sense of horror enveloped her. She was back. _Back. _Loss crawled over her. Back in the paralyzed future. She was back in the dark. Her hair hung over her face as she leaned forward, eyes wide and darting around as if trying to detect any kind of light in the dark.

Grovyle looked shocked, staring at her face. "That's it! It's here!"

Hero shook her head quickly and explained that it wasn't the Time Gear they'd discovered. She told him what she'd seen.

Grovyle nodded slowly. She expected him to be disappointed, but a grin spread over his face. "I see! Place the Drought Stone in Groudon's heart. That lifts the fog! Very well done! Good job, partner!"

They blinked, then both started laughing. In ecstatic euphoria, they even gave each other a hug.

"We're actually doing it," Grovyle whispered into her shoulder.

Hero pulled back and asked excitedly, "Do you know what this means?"

Grovyle's eyes twinkled. "The Time Gear _is _here. Somewhere."

Hero stood up, brushing herself off. "Come on, let's keep on going. It'll be at the top—and I want to find out for sure."

(Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95!)


	17. Mismagius

Conversation fell away and the only sound was that of their soft breathing. The cave worked gradually up to the platform of Fogbound Lake, and within, the darkness nearly destroyed Hero's vision. Usually, in this world, daytime was merely dim, and night only a notch dimmer. But the areas that were true black meant ultimate danger—areas that were true black meant death.

This cave was very nearly 'true black.'

As it happened, they were very near the top of the cave. Light, or what could pass for it, was spilling in, and Hero could begin to make out some of the details around her.

Just before the exit, Grovyle turned to her. His green, orb-like eyes were luminescent. They hadn't spoken since leaving the Groudon statue, so her voice almost came as a surprise to her as she softly said, "Who goes first, you or me?"

"You."

She was pleased. She knew he didn't make that decision out of cowardice, but logic (otherwise she might have made a sarcastic comment). Besides, she hadn't wanted him being the first one into potential danger anyway, not when he was hurt. Instead, she gave him a reassuring nod and moved in front of him, out onto Fogbound Lake.

It was only a lake in name. The actual plateau was bone dry, twisted, with ashen rock and an air of death.

She crept out, looking around with narrowed eyes. However, she seemed to be the only one there.

She stood up straight, relaxing just a notch. Over her shoulder, she called out, "Grovyle, the coast is cl—"

Something hit her in the side and sent her flying.

Hero gasped. The spot where the thing had touched her skin was ice cold. She was immobile in shock. Because going over the scenario in her head again and again, one thing was still clear:

_There had been nobody there._

"Hero!" Grovyle was yelling, bursting out of the cave and running for her. But then something materialized in front of him, purple and translucent with tendrils of darkness whispering off it, fading in and out of sight. He skidded to a stop. It was a ghost type Pokémon, that much was obvious.

Hero flung herself to her feet and joined the fight. She swiped her fist, but it passed right through the Pokémon. Her eyes widened.

The ghost cackled. It declared, "This is my territory! You will not have it unless you can beat me, Mismagius!"

"We don't want your territory!" shouted Grovyle, using Absorb while Hero shielded him from an Astonish. "We just want—"

"Don't bother reasoning with it; it's gone mad!" snapped Hero. Sadly, that happened a lot to Pokémon in this twisted existence. She popped a Blast Seed in her mouth and chewed—she felt flames tickle over her tongue and funnel out at Mismagius, who was thrown back. She sprang forward, Grovyle right behind her readying a Leaf Blade. Mismagius threw out a Dark Pulse. It caught her in the chest and tossed her into Grovyle. They both collapsed.

Hero remained huddled, paralyzed by the bad vibes the attack had exuded. Mismagius descended on her, slashing into her arm with several Shadow Claws. She cried out and kicked it with both feet—this time, the blows connected, and the Mismagius fell back.

Hero leaped up, releasing a fury of blows. Elbows, fists, knees, feet. Some of the attacks hit; some of them passed straight through. Grovyle came up from behind and slashed the Mismagius with Leaf Blade. It bellowed.

Suddenly, a Shadow Ball exploded out of nowhere. She was thrown back. Her head cracked against the stony ground, and her vision flashed. Her breathing was coming in ragged gasps.

"Hero!" Grovyle shouted, fending Mismagius off. "Touch the lake! I'll keep it occupied!"

Her brain hurt too much to argue. _Be careful, Grovyle! _she thought, unable to speak. Dragging herself forward with her good arm, her trembling fingers stretched out, toward the frozen lake bed. Just… centimeters away…

She made contact.

Everything went black, and then that familiar line of white split her vision.

(Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95!)


	18. Time Gear

A huge expanse of water stretched out before her, frothing and glistening. There was a fountain, illuminated from below by rainbow luminescence. Thousands of Volbeat and Illumise danced in a golden glow. Behind the scene was a brilliant sunset, all shades of crimson and violet and royal purple and palest blue and cobalt. Everything was happiness, purity, light.

Best of all, in the center of the lake, floated something… heavenly. The Time Gear was mostly circular, but with notches taken out of it. It looked like it would be heavy to hold, rather dense and metallic. It was inscribed with arrow designs and decorative symbols, and a hexagon was taken out of the middle. The dying sun sparkled off it in a glorious display, skewing all the colors. In some ways, the Time Gear resembled a strange sort of bracelet.

But a magnificent one.

Hero smiled even as her world returned to its dark, fallen existence. Even as her sight drizzled, consciousness fading to nothing, she locked the image of what she'd seen in her mind.

It had been beautiful.

(Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95!)


	19. Dreaming of the Past

Pain. That was the first sensation.

Hero's eyes were closed as she came to. She was lying limply on the ground, and her arm and head hurt like the dickens. Everything was woozy. What… what was happening? She forced her body to shift just the tiniest bit, and heard crinkling bandages.

Her eye opened a crack. First things were blurry, but they focused. She didn't recognize her location— somewhere in the wilderness. There was Grovyle, hand on his forehead in frustration, examining the map.

Arceus, did she hurt.

She lay there, watching him from underneath her heavily lidded eyes for what felt like a long time, but she had no inclination to speak or try to pick herself up. Suddenly, Grovyle seemed uncomfortable, as if the back of his neck were prickling. He sensed her stare at last. He whipped around, looking for an attacker. Seeing none, his eyes settled on her, and he jumped when he saw her awake. He hastened to her side.

"Hero," he said, laying a hand on her forehead. "You're awake!" He lifted a canteen to her lips. "Drink."

She followed his instructions, slurping down some water. She hadn't realized how parched she had been.

"Grovyle… where are we…?"

"Away from Fogbound," he said. "In a forest near the center of the map."

She gave a slow, tiny nod. "How long?"

"You've been out for a full day. That's all." Well. That wasn't so bad. She tried to sit up. Ouch. He pressed her back into reclining position. "Please, don't. Just rest a moment. How do you feel?"

"Dandy," she rasped, shooting daggers with her eyes.

He gave a terse, bemused smile. "Well, you must be feeling a little better if you can be sarcastic at me. Here, have another drink." He shoved the canteen in her face, and she didn't reject it.

Feeling a little more confident, she forced herself upright despite Grovyle's and her own body's protest. She looked around. "How did we get here?"

He shrugged. "I carried you. You carry me for a day, I carry you for a day—it all evens out in the end, right?"

She arched an eyebrow, lips quirking upward just a little. "Grovyle. I'm _heavier _than you. By a full fifteen pounds, probably!"

"And yet we still get the same food portions. You pig." Despite him teasing, it was gentle, and he seemed fretful. "How does your arm feel?"

She tested it. It hurt like molten lava. "It doesn't hurt. It's my head that hurts. I bumped it pretty good. How are _you? _How did you get away?"

"I didn't 'get away', thank you very much, I defeated Mismagius." He smiled. "While you lay over there, all fainted and useless."

"Useless? Me? Pfft, it takes being hit by several ghost attacks including Shadow Ball and having my head smashed against stone to faint. You, you get squished by a kitty for a little bit and you're out like a light."

"One would think that being gashed and crushed by a mountain lion would warrant a bit more pomp and circumstance than 'getting squished by a kitty.'"

"That was no mountain lion, it was just a wittle Persi—ow. _Owwwww._" Hero dug her fingers into her scalp, knees jerking up to her chest and shaking.

"Shh, lie down, lie down," soothed Grovyle, forcing her to rest. "There we go. I _told _you to rest." Then he admitted, "Well, I need to rest too—after carrying you all yesterday, not fully healed, I'm hardly recuperated. Let's see how we feel in the morning, okay?" He rummaged in the bag. "Would you like a Sleep Seed to help you fall asleep?"

"No… don't waste one." Hero looked at him. He looked pretty beat up, too, with scratches and bruises and baggy circled eyes. "Grovyle…"

He stopped rummaging and looked at her.

"The Time Gear… it's there… I saw it."

"I know. It'll all be okay, just sleep."

"The Time Gear's there." She looked up at him with the sweetest expression. So, obviously, he could tell that she wasn't in her right state of mind, because she had ceased to be vicious. "We're going to save the world."

His heart panged a little. Not from sympathy or any tender feeling, but… a twinge of pain, of a little jealousy. Maybe some anger.

Hero… look at her. Beat up, beaten down, but… not defeated. Not destroyed. What would it take to crush her willpower? To bend her resolve? She was so steadfast and sturdy, and she knew exactly what she wanted and what her goal was. Nobody was going to tell her otherwise. But he… he…

"Hero, wait," he intoned. "Don't sleep yet. I… I have to ask you." He felt shame.

"Yes?" she asked sleepily. Overwhelming drowsiness had washed over her.

"Obviously, you know about it. You have to have figured it out, or someone's told you, but no matter how you realized it… you _know. _But the funniest thing is, you don't seem to care. You haven't even brought it up. Not ever. It's as if… it's as if it hardly matters to you, as if it's unimportant. You know what I mean…

If we reverse the planet's paralysis, we'll disappear."

He watched her anxiously, expectantly. She didn't deny it, just watched him, a flare of curiosity in her eyes.

"Right?" he said, discontent growing as he let his feelings loose. "I know you know, but it's just… how are you so… indifferent… that… we'll die?"

Still she didn't answer.

He slammed his fist into the dirt. "How can you fight so hard? Even though what we're doing is the right thing, and I know that—that's why I'm _doing_ it—but it means we'll… disappear. We'll end. To make _myself _disappear, I just…"

He shook his head quickly, angry at himself for the show of weakness, and she still said nothing. "No… I'm sorry, Hero… of course you don't have any answer for that. I'm sorry for doubting—"

She interrupted. "In my opinion, Grovyle… you can live forever and not change anything with your life. To me, that's abominable. To live and die without ever changing a thing. Without affecting the world at all. As if you never existed." A shiver wracked her body. "To have been… nothing." A breath. "In conclusion, what I think is that it's not how long you live, but what you do with your life that is important. And I want to shine." She gave a nod, staring off into space. "And so, were I to die… I think all I have accomplished would go on. I want to prove that I exist. I want to do something that would carry on into the future… into a beautiful, un-paralyzed future."

Grovyle was quiet. "I wish that I could experience it."

She shook her head wistfully. "Oh, Grovyle. It's amazing." He looked at her strangely, and she explained. "Another reason I think I can fight so hard for this, is that… I've seen it. Surely you have more doubts than me. It takes so much more faith for _you_to fight for it than for me … because me, I've tasted it and I've felt it. The Dimensional Scream opens that door. Do you know what green is?"

Grovyle paused, taken by surprise by the question. After thinking for a moment, lips pursed, he said, "It's a color. It's the color I am."

She nodded. "Well, there's green everywhere... and red, and orange, and blue, Grovyle, blue spreading all across the sky. Blue like my eyes, or like sparkling Gyarados scales. What the Dimensional Scream does is beautiful. The world, shown to me without darkness… with communities of Pokémon living together in peace… the sun… the wind. And I don't want to let go of that. I want everyone in the entire world to be able to experience that."

Grovyle closed his eyes. _Oh, Hero._ He reached out and clenched her hand. "I'm glad that we're partners. We _will _do it, Hero, I just know it."

"Yup…" She was drifting off again, but gave him a smile. He squeezed her hand.

"And one day, I want to feel that wind."

(That concludes chapter submission mania! I was only gonna give you until ch.18, but I was like, hey. Just one more.

You may have noticed that many of Hero's comforting statements echo what Grovyle said to Dusknoir in that one special episode that could be played in Explorers of Sky. I did that on purpose; I figure that Hero could have explained her reasoning to Grovyle, and he passed it on to Dusknoir as his own view later on. After all, shouldn't partners be influenced by each other's opinions?

Oh yes, and speaking of Dusknoir... notice who hasn't shown up yet in this story? :) In any case, that's the end of Part One! Coming up next, Part Two, Chapter 19- "Outlaw"!

Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku95!)


	20. Outlaws

Five days later.

"When we arrive, I'll ask around about the Time Gears. You go straight to the announcement board and look for anything of interest," ordered Grovyle.

Hero nodded. "Gotcha." They were heading to a settlement to get some information about what was going on in the rest of the world. After all, they'd been out of the loop for quite a while now, with all the time it had taken to heal. At the settlement, if they were very, very lucky, they would even find something out about their next Time Gear. And it had been awhile since they'd heard from the Sableye. This was more worrying than comforting. She hefted her bag, ready to go.

Hero's satchel was heavier than ever, crammed with Oran berries, fresh apples, orbs, and seeds. Grovyle had been busy getting supplies while she rested. As infuriating as it was to her, she had been too hurt to travel for a while.

Now, though, she was back on top of her game, besides a few small scars on her arm. Hero gave Grovyle's shoulder a squeeze as they reached the settlement. He nodded warmly and reassuringly. They went in opposite directions.

This was a richer settlement than she'd seen. The stalls of goods were overflowing with luxurious items. In fact—she gave a soft gasp. That stall over there even had a single TM, battered so much that the move it contained was unrecognizable. The ground was Gravelrocks, and the purple-black sky was murky.

Well, nobody was giving her any strange looks. That was new, considering that she was a human and all, and humans weren't exactly common. Hero was relieved. Still, she wouldn't linger for long. She hurried openly—nobody would think of someone hastening to their destination as strange. Nobody stayed long at a settlement. Settlements could be more dangerous than, than… a tribe of wild Persians. Hero inwardly smiled at the analogy. She'd face a settlement over Persians any day.

There was the announcement board. Hero headed over and scanned all of the fliers. The majority of them were Dialga's Announcements, the closest thing that came to a newspaper in this world; and even then the Announcements were usually just lists of outlaws and executions and extolling of Dialga's greatness and power.

Primal Dialga… Hero tried hard not to scoff. Grovyle was supremely wary of Dialga, the ruler of this paralyzed world, keeper and destroyer of time. As for Hero, she was just disdainful. In her opinion, Dialga's reputation had been far blown out of proportion… after all, how powerful could a single Pokémon be?

Suddenly, there was a huge flurry of motion somewhere on the opposite end of the settlement. Pokémon were yelling—and that was Grovyle's voice! Hero's eyes widened slightly. Looking around furtively, she quickly ripped one of the Announcements off the board and stuffed it into her shirt. She ran toward the commotion.

Several burly looking Pokémon—a Hitmontop, and Elekid, and a human—were grabbing Grovyle. He had given them a couple of cuts, but from his wide-eyed, disoriented look, it was obvious he'd been taken off guard.

"Hey, boys!" she shouted as she approached. She stopped before them, arms crossed, a thundering expression on her face. "Exactly _what _do you think you're doing with my partner?"

It was her first fight since recovering, and it felt good, despite being still a little wobbly. She really hated fighting types, since they were the only Pokémon who could match her in hand-to-hand. She stumbled back as the Hitmontop punched her, but then she sent it flying. She spun around as the Elekid grabbed her wrist—an electric shock ran through her that raddled her brains and sent her hair standing on end, the smell of smoke drifting in the air.

But Grovyle wrenched free now, and with him fighting alongside her, the assailants were sent scurrying off back into the clusters of stalls and Pokémon that littered the settlement. The human gave an angry hiss before fleeing. She snarled in response.

Hero glared after them. She smoothed her hair back and turned to Grovyle. "Are you okay, partner?"

"Yeah." He was staring in the direction the Pokémon had gone as well; his look was a mixture of puzzlement and anger. "What was that all about, I wonder? I was minding my own business!"

Grimly, Hero produced the Dialga's Announcement flier she had snagged and handed it to Grovyle.

For a moment he looked shaky, taking a step back in disbelief, but then he sucked in his breath and sighed. "We knew this was probably going to happen," he said. He looked up with bright, calm, resolute eyes. "We cannot get distraught over this. It doesn't change anything. We'll be smart and we'll be just fine." He gave a determined nod. "Now come on, Hero. We need to go."

"Alright." Hero seemed upset... however, she was thankful for Grovyle being so composed and unruffled. She took the flier back and crumpled it up, shredding it to little bits. She let the pieces fall to the ground, where they would stay for a long time. There was, after all, no wind.

What had been on the Dialga's Announcement flier was a very accurate portrait of both Hero and Grovyle. Above was splashed the word WANTED in bulky red letters. Beneath was a caption that had said, "Crime: Conspiracy against Temporal Tower and discussion of Time Gears." Hero's caption also added, "Illegal human with the Dimensional Scream." The reward for their capture was six Reviver seeds, which was a disturbingly large bounty.

(Mayhaps the lengthiest chapter yet, not in pages, but in word count. And many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku!)


	21. Run or Fight?

A foreboding aura hung in the air. They were heading far away from the settlement where Grovyle had been attacked—they had to put some space between them and where they'd drawn so much attention to themselves.

Hero hated forests. She actually preferred mountains. This particular forest—well, it wasn't as bad as Treeshroud Forest, but it wasn't a meadow of Butterfree either. However, Grovyle had insisted that they go this way. Not only would it carry them further from where they had been spotted, but they'd heard tell of strange happenings in the hills beyond. Possibly Time Gear related?

"Grovyle," she whispered. "This is eerie." She fidgeted, glancing all around at the trees' shadowy eaves.

"Well, yes, that is a common effect of living in a paralyzed—"

She hit him. "You _know _what I mean; now I have a bad feeling about this place, so can we pick up the pace?"

"Wheh-heh-heh!"

"_Snap!_" hissed Grovyle [actually, he said something much worse].

"Run or fight?" Hero shouted.

He grabbed her arm and towed her behind him. "Run!"

* * *

><p>(Alternative title: <strong>...<strong>**In Which the Heroes Discover They Have Perhaps the Worst Luck in the World**. It wouldn't fit.

Some of these are really quite easy to write. I wonder sometimes if I only make such short chapters because I am lazy, or if I _truly_believe that it improves the flow of scene to scene. Ha ha. ^^; But I promise that whenever I release a ridiculously short chapter, I'll release two at one time.

Many thanks, of course, to my beta—Shinzoku.)


	22. Oh Wow, That's Convenient

"Come on," Grovyle gasped. Their breath was coming in great heaves now; they gulped in air like stranded Magikarp, helplessly flopping around on land until asphyxiation. But the Sableye were still hot on their tails… there was no time for rest, no time…

"Water?" Hero rasped, ever so eloquent.

He tossed her the canteen, which had a solemnly empty thud as she caught it. He said, "None." They were preserving their words; breathing seemed rather more important that conversation now.

Regretfully Hero unscrewed the top and turned it upside down. One drop plinked out, and then no more. They had been running hard for more than an hour over rough terrain. Now that the water was gone, it would be even harder, and still the Sableye were—

"Wheh-heh-heh!"

Grovyle and Hero both jumped and started sprinting again. Sableye had horrible endurance, so they were trained to keep going for as long as they could, and when their fellows dropped off in a faint to ignore them and still pursue. How many of those blasted dark type minions must be following them, that the Sableye could keep up with them so?

"No," Hero whispered suddenly, dismay making her skin crawl. She skidded to an abrupt halt. Up ahead, the twisted black pillars that passed for trees fell away. The forest was ending, and ahead, nothing but flat, empty ground. Nowhere to hide, nowhere to go. She didn't even know where they were anymore; they hadn't checked the map.

"We can't stop, Hero. Keep _going!_" Snarling, Grovyle grabbed her sleeve and pulled her along, but she stubbornly resisted.

Waving her arms, Hero cried, "Don't you see those empty plains? We'll get caught for sure—we have to hide!"

"Look, we'll find someplace. But we can't stop, understand? What we should have done was fight the Sableye, but now we're too tired to possibly succeed. So we have to keep going."

His cool logic, though spoken with a touch of ferocity, got through to her; she gave a slow, rueful nod. "Alright... sorry."

"It's okay, just come on. We'll find _somewhere _to hide out there."

As "wheh-heh-heh" echoed soft and sinister through the trees behind them, they hurried forward, leaving the forest behind and pausing just a moment to take in the surroundings.

"There," said Grovyle suddenly, pointing. There was a cluster of rocks that they could hide behind. Hero followed him over to them quickly.

But she frowned as they drew closer. The shadows of the rocks were beginning to look very strange... much, much deeper than they should have been...

It suddenly hit her. "There's a cave!" she exclaimed. Grovyle's eyes lit up and that relieved bright grin split his face. They vaulted over the rocks, and sure enough, a cave—more like a tunnel, really—sloped into a well concealed hill. "It must be one of those underground caverns you always hear about!"

Grovyle glanced over his shoulder; the Sableye had just burst from the forest and were looking around, trying to spot them. "Hurry!" he whispered. They entered the cave.

Inside the cave, Hero couldn't see her hand in front of her face, which was of course worrying. She brushed aside her fear, however, and determined to trust Grovyle. His footsteps had purpose to them; obviously with his Pokémon eyes he could see the passageway better than she could.

Suddenly as they turned a corner, the tunnel flared up with light. A torch on the wall spilled flamelight in a broad pool. Hero stopped. Lighted torches didn't just show up on tunnel walls… at least, not on _uninhabited _ones.

"Grovyle…" she said slowly.

"Would you rather keep going or face the Sableye?"

Hero winced. "Right." There was no way either of them would risk getting captured. They would keep going.

But the further they went, the more uneasy Hero felt… the walls were decorated with runes, and there were pillars. This was no rough, wild cave. It looked more like ruins. It made her a little uneasy. Still she said nothing.

The passage emptied out into a large cavern. Boulders lay everywhere, and many other tunnels branched out. Somehow, Hero expected that they would be a huge, complicated maze. Again, the walls were covered in runes, and there was a platform on the far side with a small pedestal… a small pedestal that had an indentation in it that looked strangely familiar…

"No," said Grovyle. His eyes widened. He shook his head quickly. "It can't be." He grabbed Hero's arm. "Don't go over there, it's sure to be a—a trick, or a trap, or an illusion—"

"Let's just check it out!" Her eyes were pleading. He looked skeptical and a little afraid, but couldn't stop her as she ran forward toward the stone platform. Just as she was mounting the steps—

_WHAM! _Dust fell from the ceiling, pebbles on the ground shook, and something fast and blurred and gray and powerful smacked Hero and sent her flying, colliding with the wall violently and then collapsing to the ground. The boulders in the room were rising up, as if glued together, as if they were a long snake of rock—Grovyle recognized the Pokémon; it was an Onix.

"Hero, watch out! Onix!" he yelled, but she barely stirred. He yelped in surprise, throwing himself to the ground before the Onix's tail could hit him too. The monster was gigantic. He wouldn't be surprised at all if Hero's bones were broken, being thrown across the room by a heap of solid _stone._

Onix seemed to be in a rage, thrashing and throwing itself around, dislodging pieces of the cavern's roof, sending stalactites showering like raindrops. Grovyle gritted his teeth, looking up at the Onix—ten times his size. It didn't look like Hero would be any use in this fight. He was on his own for this one.

(Thanks to my beta—Shinzoku.)


	23. Time Gear the Third

Grovyle sprung away as Onix's tail crashed to the ground right where he'd been standing. _Oh, Hero, why won't you wake up?_ he thought desperately. But there wasn't any time for thinking—although the Onix wasn't trying expressly to hurt them, it was more than dangerous at this point. It was deadly.

Grovyle had seen this kind of thing happen many times before. When a Pokémon, usually good and decent in any other circumstance, is driven mad by the constant darkness and pain and fear… usually it was a sad thing, but when it was, say, a Jigglypuff, it was slightly less _fatal_. When it happened to the big Pokémon… that's when there was cause to worry. Some say that Dialga was once a just ruler of time, not meddling in the world's affairs, until Temporal Tower collapsed and he, too, was driven slowly out of his mind…

It probably would have happened to Grovyle, too, if it weren't for his goal, his resolution. And Hero.

As Onix's tail swung back around again—it was the Iron Tail attack—Grovyle jumped forward and sliced out with both forearms. Leaf Blade. Onix roared in pain as huge gouges were scored on the boulders that made up its body. Grovyle smiled slightly to himself, a conspiratorial look of smug self-satisfaction, as he landed on his feet. It's super effective, he thought to himself.

Hero wasn't unconscious, just highly dazed. _What…_ She was still trying to wrap her mind around the attack. It had happened too quickly. Her ears were still ringing, but miraculously it didn't seem as if she was terribly injured. But ouch, she'd have bruises.

She heard Grovyle yelling—oh, he always made such a racket when he fought, shouting as he attacked and yelping as he dodged and the like—

Fought? Oh, no! For the first time, Hero seemed to notice the enraged Onix. _Well, CRUD_! Did Grovyle stand a chance against it? Perhaps; after all, he was a grass type. But she wasn't about to just sit there and find out!

"Come and get me!" she shouted, stumbling to her feet and racing toward the fight. If looks could kill, the Onix would be stone cold dead. Hero was a master of the evil eye. As Onix looked over to see what the commotion was all about, it actually faltered under the weight of her gaze. She kicked it in the side.

"Ouch! OUCH OUCH OUCH!" Hero bounced around on one foot, hobbled over, clutching her stubbed toes. "_Not_ a good idea!" She moaned.

Grovyle, on the other side of the Onix, had stopped running, just staring over at her with a mixture of surprise, relief, and incredulity.

"You didn't really just try that!" he said, almost laughing as he used Dig.

"Hey, don't give me that look," she responded, dodging a deadly Iron Tail.

"Well, I'm just saying that wasn't very intelligent. You did just kick a ROCK," he pointed out, using Absorb. "What did you think would happen? That it would shatter?"

"A girl can hope," Hero said shortly, ducking and diving to the ground before Rock Slide could crush her into tiny bits of squished human.

Hero's eyes darted here and there as she tried to figure something out in her mind. She _had_ to get to that pedestal. "Grovyle!" Her partner took precious seconds to glance at her. "Cover me!"

His eyes widened—he had just begun to say "What do you think you're—" But she was running across the cavern. She had to get around the Onix. It was between her and the pedestal.

Still, Grovyle did his job perfectly, and his little stinging Quick Attacks kept Onix's annoyed attention for just long enough. Hero sprang up the steps and slapped a hand onto the stone pedestal. Immediately her body went limp.

At that same second, Grovyle's final Leaf Blade did the trick. Onix collapsed. The many stones holding it together were reduced to rubble. It was not only fainted, it was dead.

Weary, Grovyle headed over to the pedestal. As always during the Dimensional Scream, her eyes moved underneath closed eyelids as if she was in a fitful sleep, but her hand remained stuck to the pedestal as if by glue. He stroked her hair absentmindedly as he waited out the vision.

(Thanks to my beta Shinzoku!)


	24. Danger Brewing

Bloodred eyes opened, searing through the gloom of the black pit. Their glow cast a terrifying crimson tint upon everything in their presence: the crumbling pillars, cracked stairs, the sprawling wasteland of black desolation below, the floating boulders, and the Pokémon that stood in the midst of it all.

The plateau was at the top of what seemed to be some ruined tower, long fallen into despair. What used to be a glorious edifice was now falling apart at the seams, hardly recognizable as anything but a symbol of ultimate destruction. The top of the tower was open to the sky, but there was no wind threatening to toss anyone to their doom. This place in particular seemed more paralyzed than any other spot in the world.

The Pokémon facing the pit spoke. "Master Dialga, your servant is here. You summoned me?"

An earsplitting roar shook the land.

"Yes, master, of course. I am aware of the havoc they have been wreaking."

Another bellow made several cringing Sableye, standing at the entrance, faint.

"Master, they are nothing but nuisances. Surely you do not believe that they have any chance of actually_ succeeding_?" The Pokémon gave a cruel laugh, spreading out his hands. "Come now—nobody could restore this blackened and twisted world. It is impossible."

"WRRROOOOOOAAAAAR!"

The Pokémon winced and flinched back. He cried out, desperately trying to take back his words. "No, master! I was not questioning your judgment! I was merely stating, the only possible way that could happen was if they went back in time and changed things before they happened…" He glowered, the shadows on his face deepening. "Of course, ishe/i is still out there, and she can also turn time to her will." He added hastily, "To a point, of course, master. Nothing like your own powers."

The next roar was little more than a rumble, a soft growl, a purr. It made the Pokémon's face flash with dark anticipation.

"Yes, master! It would be my personal… pleasure to take care of this for you. I will see to it immediately… and I will see to_ them_."

One of the Sableye stepped forward timidly. "L-Lord Dusknoir, we have made the preparations as you requested."

"Good. Excellent." The Pokémon looked back at the black pit where the red eyes were glowing. "Master Dialga, I will take my leave. Consider the matter closed now that it is in my hands." He bowed and left, laughing. The bloodred eyes slowly settled and closed.

(So ends Part Two! Short, I know, but I really wanted to get to the part with Dusknoir. And another main character we all know so well! Thanks to my beta Shinzoku as always; PLEASE read her stuff! I'll see you guys at Part Three, Chapter 25, "No Old Friends, Only New Enemies".

Also, here's a link to the cover of What Happened Before, painted by yours truly.

.com/#/d4o19zv)


	25. No Old Friends, Only New Enemies

"And sand was rolling like—like _water,_" continued Hero as Grovyle and she picked their way across the dry riverbed. "But of course, you've never seen water stirred by the wind, lapping at the shore. But try to imagine water roiling and heaving itself, and that's what the sand looked like. The water was so deep it looked almost black, and even underground it twinkled. Like underwater stars…"

"I wish I had the Dimensional Scream." Grovyle's voice was sullen. Hero just laughed and shook her head, telling him that of course he didn't, seeing as everyone possessing the ability was hunted mercilessly. And logically, he knew it was true, but he wanted to see what she saw.

"Will the Sableye show up again?" Hero asked, her forehead runkled in worry.

"Probably." Grovyle sighed with a lopsided grin. "Y'know, they're just everywhere… and someone must be sending them after us. Hunting us down." Suppressing a shiver, he added, "By someone, I mean Primal Dialga, of course… or someone else high up."

Hero shook her head, angry, readying herself and hopping off the jutting rock she was on. Her ratty sneakers hit an adjacent rock with a thud. Her arms pinwheeled until she was steady. "Well. That just ticks me off."

"I wish they'd leave us in peace." Grovyle was a green streak flashing from his foothold to hers with far more litheness and grace than any human could ever muster.

"As if. We're working to collapse their whole world, their entire domain."

"Three Time Gears," said Grovyle. It seemed almost surreal that they had come so far in six months. Three down. Only two to go.

Hero crossed her arms. With a growl, she plunked down on the rock, digging her feet into the dirt and cupping her chin in her hands.

Grovyle sat too. "The only problem is…"

"Yep. I have no idea where to go now either."

Glumly, he stared out over the dry, rock-dotted riverbed they were crossing. Forest lined it on either side, with thick, knee-high shrubbery everywhere you turned. Paras scuttled around, but other than them and the occasional Mankey glaring coldly from the trees, there was nothing. The sky was wide open, mottled with light gray clouds... without wind, they had nowhere to go. It looked like a snapshot out of a painting.

It had been different before. First they'd had Slowbro… then Braviary… the Sableye had chased them right to the entrance of the Underground Lake… and there had always been whispers of Treeshroud Forest housing something forbidden and dangerous. Looking back, Grovyle saw how much help they'd had, and they'd always had each other.

Actually, in retrospect, the Sableye's appearance had been so opportune. How infuriating, that Primal Dialga's own minions chased the fugitives straight to their goal. Grovyle pressed his lips together. Whoever commanded the Sableye was surely in hot water. In no way would Primal Dialga allow that to slide. Whoever commanded the Sableye was surely enraged…

Suddenly, Grovyle's leaves began to stiffen. Similar to the hairs rising on one's neck, it gave him a suspicious, prickling sensation. His stomach turned over.

His voice dropped to the barest whisper: "Hero…"

The ground exploded behind them.

Grovyle hit the dirt chin-first. Red flashed in his vision. He laid there, his breath having deserted him, fearing that he'd pass out. But oxygen slowly trickled its way back into his lungs; he gasped in desperate lungfuls. The world had gone silent around him, he thought, but he realized it was his hearing. Muffled noise slowly came to him as he rolled over, and the first thing he heard was laughter… slightly masked by the familiar "wheh-heh-heh".

The rocks had been blown away. Little purple wisps of shredded shadow still clung to them sadly where they lay, far from their original placing. Standing—or rather, floating—in the center of the new clearing was a Pokémon Grovyle did not recognize. The Pokémon was tall. His arms were crossed over his broad chest, and he wore a gloating and triumphant expression on his face.

Sableye secured the perimeter and were bristling with excitement. He knew that only the Pokémon's presence withheld them from descending on him and Hero, who had fallen at the base of a rock and looked similarly dazed. Was she hurt? Was she hurt? His heartbeat raced.

The strange Pokémon spoke in a rich, vibrant voice. "Tales of your capability seem to have been greatly exaggerated." He moved closer to them, his single eye sweeping over Grovyle and Hero, taking them in. Disapproval tainted his expression. "I am rather disappointed."

Grovyle coughed. "Who—who are—"

"Who am I?" the Pokémon said. "My name is Dusknoir, great Master Dialga's henchman. I am his lieutenant." He stared down at the two of them, power thrumming in his massive shape. "You are the outlaw Grovyle. No more than a nuisance to Master Dialga. You're to be disposed of; he hardly cares about the likes of you. It is she"—he turned to Hero—"whom my lord is concerned with. The illegal rebel who possess the Dimensional Scream… Hero, the human."

Hero shot Dusknoir a ferocious glare, pulling herself to her feet despite looking woozy. Unlike the Onix, Dusknoir did not quail under the force of her thunder. He chuckled softly, slowly gliding over to her with cold, glittering eyes. She pressed her back against the rock, fear on her face, as if trying to shrink herself so that Dusknoir would never see her. But there was no place to hide.

He took her chin in his hand, turning it to the right and then the left as if examining her. His thumb brushed her cheek. Grovyle's stomach clenched.

"Yes," he said, almost in a whisper, almost cooing to her. "Master Dialga will be so very pleased with my accomplishment, bringing to him the outlaw that dared to defy him. Any offense against him is an offense against this beautiful world that he rules." Dusknoir leered. "It's a shame… such a pretty specimen you are, too. I'm afraid, however, my lord does not care much for beauty. His plans are his own, and at the end of it you'll be begging for death. You won't be so pretty then."

Grovyle seethed, shaking with fury. "RAHHH!" He let out a roar and threw himself at Dusknoir's back. About a dozen Sableye jumped onto him and held him back, but he slashed to the right and the left, trying to dislodge them. Dusknoir spun around, eyes burning. From his outstretched palm erupted a Shadow Ball. It hit Grovyle's chest, scattering the Sableye and tossing him aside as easily as one might swat a fly. Grovyle tasted bile and blood. His head rattled so badly that his vision blinked in and out.

Coldly, Dusknoir shook scraps of shadow from his hand. They drifted forlornly to the ground.

"And that was hardly the strength of what I used a few minutes ago. If I'd hit you square in the chest with that Shadow Ball, you would be dead. Consider yourself warned."

Dusknoir had just turned to face Hero when Grovyle called him something _very _rude; so much so that he spun back around, spitting with rage. As if it was planned, Hero jumped, launching herself onto Dusknoir's back. He roared, and Grovyle sprung forward, slicing Dusknoir's chest with a powerful Leaf Blade. It gave Grovyle brutal satisfaction.

The Sableye were all over them in an instant. Hero dropped to the ground, flowing into a crouch. As Grovyle yelled, "NOW!" she surged upwards and knocked three or four Sableye aside. Simultaneously, Grovyle attacked the Sableye assaulting his side. The break in the enemy lines gave them an opportunity. Gasping, almost crying, Hero threw herself through the gap with Grovyle close behind. They stumbled and fled. A river of Sableye rushed after, with Dusknoir screaming, "After them! Don't let them get away!"

And so they were running. Again.

Always running.

(Many thanks to Shinzoku for making this possible!)


	26. Don't Say That

"Let me see your wounds." Hero recoiled as Grovyle reached out to touch her. "Come on, Hero—look, you're bleeding. Let me see you." Hero hesitated, then allowed him to scootch closer with a wad of cotton balls in hand.

Their small "camp" was nothing more than Hero's backpack leaning up against a log or two. They couldn't risk a fire without bringing down on them the Sableye… and Dusknoir. Just thinking about Primal Dialga's lieutenant, it was as if ice water trickled down Hero's back. Bumps rose on her skin. Dusknoir _terrified_ her.

The worst part was knowing that he would never stop.

With damp cotton balls, Grovyle began to gently clean caked blood from her face. She had bit her tongue and gotten a nosebleed from the Shadow Ball explosion, and then tiny Sableye claws made little snicker-snatches on her arms. Those scratches were red but not bloody, unlike Grovyle's back, which was covered with probably fifty or more tiny gashes, no larger than the last knuckle on Hero's index finger.

She was certain his back would be marked with wicked little white scars, but she also knew he'd never let her touch them until she had been taken care of.

She winced as he painstakingly cleared dirt from a bruise on her forehead. It was quickly swelling to a painful lump. Grovyle sat back, looking her over, the cotton balls now turned pink from blood.

"There," he said. "You're good now, I think."

Hero was silent for a moment. "This… complicates things."

Grovyle closed his eyes and held his head in his hands, for a second looking totally desolate. "I know. I know."

It was all because of Dusknoir. Hero now had someone who she considered a physical embodiment of every evil thing that had ever happened to her, and of everything that they were fighting. The slaughter of her family and the slow extinction of the human kind were of course on the list. But somehow, having Dusknoir around gave her someone who she could blame for the very paralysis of the world. He, she thought, was actually evil. _Evil._

"We aren't ever going to do this," Hero said suddenly. "We're lucky to have come so far. It's stupid to think we could find all five Time Gears." It was as if she suddenly recognized her opposition. She suddenly realized what they were up against. That was how it was, nothing else to be done about it.

"No!" Grovyle jerked upright. "Don't you _say_ that!"

"What do you mean, _don't you say that?_" she shouted back, flinging her hand out, face contorted with anger and despair. "This is a stupid idea! We never have a plan, we pretty much just wander around with no thought about what we're going to do—for example, just how are you planning to get the past, anyway? Ask Primal Dialga pretty please? This is a _dream_, Grovyle, and dreams don't come true!"

Grovyle swung around and grabbed Hero's shoulders, forcing her to face him. She stared wide-eyed at his frantic, determined face, and realized that his hands were shaking.

"Hero, you can't," he said, releasing her, but still trembling. "If you say that—_no_, you just can't think like that! You aren't allowed to? What difference does one Pokémon make to us? Dusknoir or no Dusknoir—he's just another face in the legions of Sableye who are after us, and _they_ include Primal Dialga himself!"

He stood, beginning to strengthen. Nearly shouting, he continued, "What happens if _we_ lose heart? We're the only ones fighting for this! We're the only ones with the strength to! And you, with the Dimensional Scream—what happens if you lose your head? It's over! I could search the world for a million years, walking within centimeters of a Time Gear and never know." He sat back down, glaring at his clenched hands. "You're my foundation, Hero. So don't you say that. We're going to. I know we're going to." He clamped his mouth shut, his speech complete. He averted his smoldering eyes.

Hero closed her eyes, washed with all kinds of different emotions. Relief, pain, joy, gratefulness, anger, and a touch of fear. Suddenly she hugged him. Her voice broke mumbling into his shoulder, "Grovyle... I'm sorry." Her lip trembled. As she let him go, she felt peace wash over her. Then, "Where do we go from here?"

He sucked in his breath, ran his hand over his head. "South, I think, to the more jungle-y regions." He was quiet. "They're very unexplored. Who knows, maybe we'll… I don't know, get lucky again. Maybe we won't be so infamous in the more secluded regions. Maybe we'll get out of Dusknoir's clutches there, bunker down at some settlement." He paused. "Not that settlements usually go over well for us."

Hero laughed. Surprised, for some reason, that it was true, she said: "Grovyle, I'm exhausted. I'm going to get some rest."

"We both will. We don't need a watch tonight. Dusknoir doesn't strike me as the kind of Pokémon to go scouring the land himself… not the kind of guy to do his own dirty work, I guess. I'd bet that they've retreated, that he's drawing up some new plot to ensnare us." He lay down. "It isn't going to work."

Hero lay down too—even though she genuinely wished she could agree, she did not reply.

(Thanks to Shinzoku, the best beta in the world ever in the history of the Internet.)


	27. Reality

There is a dream. This dream can become reality. This I genuinely believe.

You might ask, what is this 'dream'? Well, it all depends, really. Different people have different kinds of dreams. But whatever the dream is, there's a way to solidify it. Shape it, mold it, realize it.

It sounds all good and dandy, doesn't it? But it isn't that easy… transforming dreams into reality needs a long journey, a searching of yourself. It takes effort, but it can happen. Believe me.

And sometimes, as you make your dream into reality, your dream can change. It's excellent when a dream changes. It means that you're changing too. That isn't bad, not always. It can be good. Sadly, in our present existence, _nothing_ changes. Faced with death, I see that.

In a paralyzed world, dreams stop.

-0-

Hero stirred in her sleep. Her eyes fluttered, then opened.

Moss was drawn over her to keep in the heat. Shivering, she was thankful for Grovyle's body heat beside her; the morning was cold, and although the hollow tree they were in was better than sleeping on the ground, it didn't exactly have a roaring fireplace.

She sighed, not wanting to get up and face the morning. Her internal clock had always worked perfectly. Even though the darkness rarely wavered, she could tell daytime from night, and vice-versa.

Paralysis. She had been testing the word all night. As they got up and readied themselves for travel, she held it on her tongue. As she tossed her backpack to Grovyle and they set off, she mulled over it like fine wine. As they evaded the Sableye for the fifteenth time, plastering themselves in stinking mud and staying so still that they could have been dead, she rolled it around in her head, and it rattled there maddeningly.

It seemed like such a pretty and delicate word. It was almost a travesty to have it describe the disgusting filth that Pokémon and humans now squandered their lives in. 'The world's paralysis.'

"Hero."

Hero's head jerked up immediately and she dropped down low to the ground. Fixing Grovyle with a questioning look, she mouthed, _Sableye?_

He shook his head imperceptibly.

She strained her ears and for the millionth time wished she was a Pokémon (ignoring, of course, the fact that if she i_were_/i a Pokémon, she wouldn't have the Dimensional Scream and the world would be doomed… perhaps she was the last human alive with the ability, or perhaps there were others that were just too cowardly to step forward, but she wouldn't ever know).

Listening as hard as she could, stilling her breathing, she picked out the sounds that Grovyle had already detected. The hustle and bustle of voices, shouting, footsteps… there was a settlement up ahead.

So why was Grovyle so upset?

He motioned for her to follow, but placed a finger on his lips. _Shh_.

They crept through the underbrush, near the settlement but far enough away to observe it without being observed. Staying low, Hero followed Grovyle, and then nearly fell back in shock when she saw where he was pointing.

There was a huge platform with dozens of Pokémon around it. Four or five Sableye stood on the platform holding metal chains, chains that led to the wrists and ankles of a defeated-looking pink Pokémon. Dusknoir stood at the center of it all, extolling on the severity of the prisoner's crimes. Hero heard him say 'Celebi' several times.

Her flesh crawled. This was an execution.

"Did I hear the word Celebi?" whispered Grovyle.

"Yes," murmured Hero, eyes never leaving Dusknoir's smug, ever-sarcastic face. "Have you heard it before?"

"Yes… she's the center of numerous myths. Celebi, the goddess of time," muttered Grovyle, eyes never leaving Celebi's downcast face. "The question is, how in the world they ever managed to capture—"

"Goddess?" Hero closed her eyes. "That tiny pink thing is a legendary Pokémon." Suddenly, her eyes flew open as his words sunk in. "_Time?" _she yelped. "I thought only Dialga—"

"It's only what I've heard. I didn't even think the old folklore was true."

"But if it's true…" Hero gasped and hoarsely cried, "_They're about to kill our only ticket to the past!_"

As she leaped up, Grovyle caught her sleeve. "Hero! At least wait for us to make a plan!"

"There's no TIME for that! They already have her kneeling! Come on!" Frantic, Hero pulled Grovyle up behind her as they sprinted into the settlement, into the execution square. He had no choice but to follow her, although his expression stayed stricken and wincing—basically in that universal _Hero, what are you getting us into?_ look.

The Sableye, with wicked excitement glittering in their eyes, bunched their haunches to spring at Celebi, who kneeled on the platform in plain view of all. Her eyes closed in anticipation of what was to come.

Then a huge stir went through the crowd. The Pokémon watching the execution parted, surprised to see a human and a Grovyle barreling through the crowd toward the platform like shooting stars aching for the heavens. As if everything in their world depended on getting there.

Hero and Grovyle leaped up onto the platform. Even Dusknoir was slack jawed, and the Sableye only had a second to start towards them. Hero and Grovyle easily knocked the attackers away, sending them tumbling over the lip of the platform. Those two seconds were enough for Dusknoir to compose himself. His lip lifted in a sneer of distaste.

"Well, if it isn't—" he started to say.

"Cover me," interrupted Grovyle, calm.

Hero planted herself between Grovyle and Dusknoir, and hardly had a chance to think before Dusknoir swatted at her. She ducked the blow, dropping to her stomach. She rolled over as he a Shadow Ball blasted from his hand. The attack exploded on ground where she had been, harmless to her, but breaking a hole in the platform, splintered planks flying everywhere. A splinter the size of Hero's hand implanted itself in her bicep. Hero gasped at the sudden, bright pain.

Dusknoir grabbed her neck and lifted her into the air. Her feet kicked helplessly. He smirked and hurled her back into the ground.

Spluttering and trying to regain her breath, Hero's eyes darted wildly. She saw Dusknoir in one instant, and Grovyle sawing at Celebi's manacles in the next.

"No time for witty banter?" Hero asked hoarsely, flashing Dusknoir a wary smile. She flipped to her feet, twisting to avoid a Shadow Punch. Already she was gasping, the sides-heaving, lungs-burning kind of fire licking hot inside her chest. Never before had she fought for so short a time and been defeated so quickly.

Not that she was finished. Not _quite_ yet. But if this went on for much longer, she would not last.

But she didn't need to.

Celebi's chains clanked to the ground. She was as limp as a dead body; her skin was falling off her bones, and the flesh around her eyes was sallow and yellow and sagging. Her very body appeared to be withering, fading away.

Grovyle scooped her over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing. Indeed, she was so tiny that perhaps she did. If she were standing, she would only come up to Hero's knee, but judging by the paper-thin gossamer wings on her back, Celebi usually flew rather than walked. Now, she did neither.

"Hero! Let's go! Now!" Grovyle tossed a Stun Seed at Dusknoir just as he was about to grab Hero's arm. The giant ghost-type stood frozen, buzzing slightly, his face enraged.

"I will kill you," hissed Dusknoir, eyes darkening into infinite black pools. Hero's blood chilled at the murder in his gaze.

For a second she was frozen.

Then she threw herself off the platform and hit the ground running. Dusknoir snarled and roared to the Sableye, "_Imbeciles!_ By the name of Master Dialga, do _not_ allow them to escape!"

"Gotta outsmart," gasped Hero to Grovyle. She wouldn't be able to run like they usually did, not right now.

"Or overkill," said Grovyle, glaring at nothing. He passed Celebi to Hero (later she would shake her head at the thought of them 'playing hot potato with a legendary Pokémon') and swung the backpack off his shoulder. From it he extracted an orb and chucked it in the direction of the platform. Swarms of Sableye had come from nowhere, Dusknoir was bellowing and shooting Shadow Balls haywire, and several of the observing Pokémon from the audience had given chase so as just not to be left out. The orb tinkled in the midst of them as it broke, and the whole area lit up like a bonfire in a bright white flash.

It was a sight of chaos.

Hero ran, holding Celebi close to her chest. She could hear the tiny goddess's breaths, so shallow—unconscious. No wonder. The more Hero looked at Celebi, the more she was disgusted by the ill treatment she had been put through. She was so skinny that she was almost skeletal, and there were all kinds of scars and burns on her. She trembled, feverish, in Hero's arms.

With gritted teeth, Hero yanked the bloody stake out of her arm and ducked to the side just as the effects of the Luminescence Orb wore off. Holding Celebi close, she and Grovyle huddled in the bushes as feet thudded past, voices shouting. Dusknoir's was not among them. Perhaps Grovyle was right, that Dusknoir did not do his own dirty work.

"Are you alright?" whispered Grovyle. "He was—you two barely fought for half a minute and you were already on the ground, and—" He took a shuddering breath.

"I'm fine," soothed Hero. A troubled look came over her face. "But Celebi isn't." She showed Grovyle the time goddess.

"We need to get out of here," said Grovyle during a lull in the ruckus. "We need to get out of here. Now. Now."

-0-

There was a small clearing in the wilderness. It was well concealed by floating boulders, one or two gnarled trees, and a rocky overhang. Protected from weather and discovery, it was a marvelous little find, if Hero did say so herself.

Grovyle knelt over Celebi with the roll of bandages, working hard. Hero kept her distance, sitting on a rock, leaning back, eyes closed, soothing herself by the steadiness of her breathing.

Celebi moaned from where she lay.

Hero shook her head and chuckled bitterly inside. i_Grovyle, you're always the one stuck handling the blood and gore and injuries,/_i she wanted to say. i_Sorry that I dump all that on you!/_i But she didn't say it; his eyes were fiery and concentrated as he hunched over the tiny pink body.

Hero fiddled with her fingers, waiting. Waiting. The whole paralyzed world was silent, absolutely, dead silent, the only thing breaking the monotony Celebi's tiny whimpers. Finally the legendary stirred into consciousness, giving a small groan. Hero stood up and went over, looking down at Celebi, arms crossed. Grovyle sat back. "Morning, sunshine," he muttered.

Celebi murmured nonsense words, her frail limbs shifting. The bandages were bright white on her tender, bruised flesh.

Hero finally realized something. _We rescued her. _ Really and truly. This legendary Pokémon would have actually died had they not been there.

A soft voice, a whispered question. "I'm… where…"

"You're safe now," said Hero. "You're in no danger. Everything's okay."

"Who are… you…?" Slowly, painfully, Celebi pulled herself into sitting position. She collapsed back against Hero's backpack. "Where is Dusknoir?"

Grovyle moved forward, looking at Celebi steadily. "I'm Grovyle. This is Hero. And Dusknoir's far away."

"The last thing I remember is my, my execution, a-and—"

"I think you blacked out," said Hero. "When we rescued you."

"Rescued?"

Grovyle elbowed Hero. "Never mind that now. The point is, you're safe, and no, there will be no execution."

Celebi gave a soft laugh. "Well, thank you… Grovyle, was it...? This legendary gets to live another day... excellent." She leaned back against the backpack and, using it as a pillow, said, "I think I'll go to sleep now."

"She's out like a light," said Hero, scooting away. Grovyle followed her. "So, the legendary Pokémon of time. What do we do now?"

He said, "We make her grateful to us."

-0-

Hero's and Grovyle's heads were dipped together, foreheads touching, talking quietly and rapidly. It was morning, or what could pass for it; the darkness had for the moment abated and left them with a blessed hour of semi-light.

Grovyle looked over at Celebi as her black-rimmed eyes fluttered open. "Morning, sunshine. Do you prefer Oran or Pecha?"

"I…" Celebi's head wagged from left to right, eyes glassy. "Oh. For a moment, I thought I was back at Dusknoir's dungeons." She looked up at Hero and Grovyle. "I did not thank you before." She was unsmiling, but Grovyle's lips turned upward. As always, although it was just his signature half-grin, it was as if they sun came out and beamed. Celebi was taken aback. Hero barked a laugh. She'd forgotten how surprised she'd been the first time Grovyle grinned at her like that.

"So, Grovyle and Hero. How did you come to be my white knights? What is your story?" Celebi settled back.

Hero glanced at Grovyle, and then she started to explain. They filled in at intervals where the other's memory lapsed. The whole story spilled out as easily as breathing. Time Gears, the Dimensional Scream, and even their recent acquaintance with Dusknoir.

Celebi nodded as if it were all normal. "Mm, I'm sure this has old Primal Dialga's panties in a twist. You ought not be too happy, however; I doubt he sees you two as a threat. But any divergence from the natural degeneration of the world's paralysis agitates him. Surely he has Dusknoir running around like a chicken without a head in an attempt to capture you."

"Paralysis." Hero tasted the word. "I know the story."

Celebi murmured approval. "So few do."

Primal Dialga didn't like the truth circling around, see. He far preferred the mystery, the rumors, the magic and glamour that always seemed to surround it.

"It is far easier than that, of course," continued Celebi, leaning back with a delicate sigh, fingers tracing her bandages.

The Time Gears used to support the circulation of time in the world. But they began to wear out from the constant pressure of grinding out time. It's funny how simple it would have been. If anybody had known. Simply remove the Time Gears and place them on the special pedestal at Temporal Tower, the home of Dialga, god of time. The world would have been saved then.

"But nobody _did_ know," muttered Hero, hands slowly clenching and unclenching.

Celebi spoke softly. "The Gears slowly collapsed, and time ended. Stopped. The world ceased to move. Dialga was the first Pokémon to go mad, a mad god. No longer could anything change. No longer could anything move. The universe was stilled, and darkness settled in. Perhaps in fifty years the world will end completely, finally wind down to nothing, or perhaps only civilization will end, leaving the world filled with nothing but hollow shells, crazy, mad. Or perhaps things will stay like it is right now. And still nothing will change. All dreams, stopped."

Paralyzed.

(One of my favorite chapters _yet. _And it also takes the cake as the longest, at seven pages. This chapter was written less choppy than usual, more lyrical.

It began in first person for stylistic reasons only; I was really just playing around. The chapter's beginning is no great foreshadowing. It doesn't house a great secret. Read it again and decide for yourself what it means… it's really up to interpretation. Watching the movie _Seven Pounds_ [yay Will Smith] for the first time probably inspired some of the stylism in this chapter.

Thank you so much, Shinzoku, for the amazing support you've given me on this very… _different_ chapter.)


	28. Clue

Whispering.

"Wake up."

Breath tickling her ear.

"Wake uuuup."

She turned in her sleep.

"WAKE UP!"

A burning slap across her face woke Hero up with a jolt. She rolled over twice from the force of the blow, gasping. Two Sableye smiled over her. "Hello—"

The Sableye didn't even get to finish his sentence. Hero kicked him hard in the chest with both feet, so hard that it sent judders up her legs. She was on her feet in an instant.

"Send a message back to Dusknoir for us: he's a _moron_," snarled Grovyle, rolling to his feet. In about two seconds he had used both Absorb and Quick Attack, and Hero smacked the Sableye across the face. She smirked. _Payback_.

Celebi was up now, too, as the Sableye scuttled down boulders and trees toward them. A huge explosion of darkness sprung from the lead Sableye and pulsed across the ground, making Hero's lungs feel like they were frozen through. She gasped, trying to breathe and failing. Triumphantly, the Sableye shouted, "Wheh-heh-heh! Lord Dusknoir sends his regards!"

"Grovyle, dear!" called Celebi. Hero's and Grovyle's heads swiveled. "Crystal Lake!" Then she winked, and in a pop, disappeared.

"Teleportation," muttered Hero in an exasperated voice, throwing her hands in the air and shaking her head.

"Well, she _is_ the legendary of time," said Grovyle as Hero and he kicked up dirt, stumbling to their feet and slashing and pounding through the ranks of Sableye.

"This is fun," said Hero, happier. She flashed a sparkling grin at Grovyle. "I like this better than running away."

"Y-y-y-yikes!" The Sableye sprang back, watching them more warily now.

Grovyle lifted an eyebrow. He said, "Rawr."

"Retreat! Retreat!" The Sableye shrieked and fled back into the wilderness. The cowards. Hero watched them go tiredly.

"We need to move, now," she said, picking up her backpack and slinging it over her shoulder. "They'll be back. And maybe Dusknoir too."

Grovyle groaned, flopping onto the ground and pounding his palms into his forehead. "_Ughhh."_

Hero smiled, bemused, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "That is how I feel."

"Whyyy." Grovyle closed his eyes mournfully. "Ooone night's good reeeest. That's aaaall I waaaant."

"Now that Dusknoir's in the picture, things are more… problematic."

"Dusknoir." Grovyle stuck his tongue out, sitting up. "Let me tell you, I'm really gonna go off on that dolt. I swear to Arceus, next time he screws with us, I'm gonna go Primeape all _over_ his ghostly ass."

"Yeah, well, let's hope we don't get the opportunity for that. As much as you hate him, wouldn't you rather him just drop off the face of the planet, instead of having to fight him and probably getting yourself killed in the process…?" Hero sighed. "Well, that's wishful thinking. Maybe we need to get you a Shadow Claw TM or something." She helped him up and they started walking. "Where to?"

"I'm assuming Crystal Lake."

(Here's those nice, short chapters we all know and love. Thanks as always to Shinzoku.

…I was so very tempted to title this chapter "Ghostly Ass". If you think I should change it, tell me. XD)


	29. Seeds of Discord

On the map there was no such place as "Crystal Lake." Of course, according to the map there was also no such place as "Fogbound Lake" or "Underground Lake" either. Treeshroud Forest was listed under its real name, but Treeshroud was surrounded in enough mystery and gossip to protect itself.

"I know where Crystal Lake is," said Hero.

When Hero was small, she still had possession of the only thing her mother ever gave her: a small crystal on a rusty metal chain. Even though she couldn't remember her mother's own face, she remembered the words that had been spoken when she received that necklace:

"Hero, I found this for you. The chain is mine. It came from a cave not too far from the coast. Hero, remember never to go into a dungeon unless someone is with you. It's forbidden, so only dangerous Pokémon and outlaws go there. And you don't want to get on the Sableye's bad side…"

"What happened to the necklace?"

Hero sighed. "I stole from a settlement and got caught. The Sableye took it when they arrested me."

Grovyle let out a short laugh, but was startled out of it by her sharp look of annoyance. Apparently it was a touchy topic for her.

"Here," said Hero. The map was unrolled on her lap. She sat cross-legged on a stump; Grovyle stood behind her. They were actually close to the dry riverbed where Dusknoir had first attacked them.

Hero closed her eyes indignantly. She did _not_ want to think about Dusknoir at the moment. It just made her angry all over again. The jerkwad!

"Anyway," she added hastily. Grovyle was giving her a funny look. "This is that cave I was speaking of." She drew her finger across the map. The area was deep maroon, indicating that it was dangerous. "I'm sure that's where Crystal Lake will be."

"Mm-hm." Grovyle inspected the map. "Are you certain? That cave is labeled as 'Beldum Cove'."

"Yes, Grovyle," she said, shooting him a look and tossing her grimy hair. "I'm extremely certain. Just because _you're_ not the one making the plans this time around…"

"Hey, hey," he said, putting his hands up in mock fear. "I know you can make plans too, Hero. You're the most capable person I know. All I asked was if you were sure."

Hero huffed, rolling up the map and shoving it into her backpack. Grovyle grinned, amused.

"The question now," said Hero loudly, ignoring him, "is if we are going to go or not." Her face was serious, all other expressions wiped away.

Grovyle frowned. "What do you mean? If this is the next Time Gear—"

She interrupted loudly. "Point number one: It may not be the next Time Gear. Celebi never said _anything_ about the next Time Gear. It may just be where she wants to meet us." She crossed her arms. "Point number two: If that's the case—in fact, even if that's not the case—the question is, are we going? For that matter, it could be a trap. This Celebi…" Hero shook her head and scowled. "Should we trust her? We're traipsing off into the unknown on the word of some chick we just met. You know, they don't only try to execute good guys, Grovyle." She looked up, eyes grim. "They execute bad guys too."

"What are you talking about?" Grovyle looked shocked, upset by the very notion. "She's a legendary! How would a legendary benefit from living in a paralyzed world?"

"_Supposedly_ she's a legendary. Oh, and by the way, _Dialga_ seems to be benefiting from it pretty well!"

"ARCEUS, Hero! Why are you always so thick-headed? Is it really bad to _once and a while_ trust—"

"TRUST," she snarled, "does NOT find us a Time Gear!"

He sucked in his breath, grinding the palm of a hand into his forehead. "Hero, you are being really irritating right now."

"Irritating?"

"I just don't want your paranoia to cost us a Time Gear!"

"I just don't want your trust to cost us our LIVES!"

A howl came from somewhere beyond the trees. It was far enough away that they were in no immediate danger, but too close for comfort. Grovyle and Hero stared in the direction that it had come from.

After a minute passed and nothing leaped out of the bushes to devour them, Grovyle silently picked up Hero's backpack and started walking. "Come on." His voice was cool.

Hero's eyes were fixed on the back of Grovyle's head, her annoyance mixing with severe regret. _For the love of Arceus, Hero… why couldn't I keep my head for once… I snapped at _Grovyle, _for Pete's sakes. I have to control my tongue._

"I still think we shouldn't go," she grumbled under her breath, but making sure it was loud enough for him to hear.

Grovyle didn't look at her. He just snorted.

(Many thanks, of course, to my beta Shinzoku.

I almost made Grovyle make a joke about PMS in this one. But then I didn't. XD)


	30. Crystal Lake at Last

Hero ached with all her heart to apologize, to beg forgiveness. All she had done was yell at him, but still, Grovyle was not speaking to her. They only words they'd exchanged since The Argument were a couple of brief, expressionless monosyllables as to if there was danger up ahead or if you want to stop for the night.

For two days.

She wanted to cry out her stupidity. It was ironic when she thought about how she didn't want Grovyle as a partner in the first place. He practically had to tackle her and pin her to the ground when they first met over the Treeshroud Time Gear. Suddenly her lips twitched into a smile as she imagined the two of them at a sunny coffee shop, chatting it up. "Aren't these scones delightful?" "Pass the Time Gears, please!"

She almost told Grovyle. Then her face turned sullen, remembering. She trailed after him, disappointed.

The ground had slowly begun to shift from soil and grass to dirt and pebbles, to sand and rocks, to stone. They couldn't see the coast, but at the bottom of the long drop from each crag was swirling water. It was precarious footing. Grovyle made each jump easily, but Hero struggled. She was comforted by the fact that even though he was cross with her, he wouldn't let her fall.

"The entrance," she said helpfully, drawing level with Grovyle and showing him where the cave began. Not that he would have missed it. It was a huge, gaping maw in the face of solid rock. She wanted to tell him about how there used to be a huge waterfall here.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded. She hefted her pack and followed him in.

The dungeon was eerily empty. The few Pokémon they encountered were Riolu, Golbat, Beldum, and many rock types. These adversaries were not easily swatted aside. Even having Grovyle, a grass type, only gave them a slight advantage.

Rock types were difficult for Hero to contend with. She had a fair shot of winning against any type but for two exceptions—anything larger or heavier than her, and fighting types. Her skill was in hand-to-hand, but her prowess couldn't even scratch a fighting type. Also dragons. Hero had never fought a dragon type. She considered this a large portion of the reason that she was still alive.

There were a remarkable amount of boulders in 'Beldum Cove', all of them in funny-shaped formations. Hero remembered how Celebi called this place Crystal Cave. In the past, those rocks must have been beautiful. She wanted to mention it to Grovyle.

The cave began to empty out. Less Pokémon stood in their way, and the dungeon passageways grew wider.

They were met with a small cavern. The two of them stopped dead, minds trying fruitlessly to comprehend the scene.

_It was a dead end._

Realizing what had happened, Grovyle spat out a curse and dropped into battle stance.

"Yoo-hoo, Grovyle and Hero," sang Celebi, smiling at them as she fluttered from the shadows.

Celebi barely had time to blink before Hero had taken hold of her neck and slammed her into the wall. "I TOLD you it was a trap, Grovyle!" she shouted, anger bubbling up all over again.

Celebi gasped, choking for air. Her tiny fingers pried at Hero's hand, unable to free herself. "No—not—what—happened—" Hero glanced over her shoulder at Grovyle.

"Let her go," Grovyle said.

Hero waited for just another second before releasing the legendary. Celebi coughed, sinking to the ground and doubling over as she gulped in air. "Oh, I didn't hurt you that bad," muttered Hero, sighing and crossing her arms. She noticed Grovyle glaring and flung her arms out in a _What?_ gesture. "I wasn't gonna _kill_ her!"

Her stomach turned over at the notion. She… she hadn't actually… Hero took a deep breath. She'd never killed anyone before. Looking at Celebi, she felt sudden guilt, which was dumb—she had certainly _injured _many Pokémon before.

Grovyle just shook his head. Hero felt burning shame in her chest again and shrugged self-consciously, looking away.

"I'm s-sorry for startling you," stuttered Celebi in that high-pitched, tinny voice of hers. "I should have realized that you would think that. You two are very cautious."

Grovyle's lips twitched. Hero gasped in indignation. "Did you really?" she cried. "Did you _really_ just say what I thought you did?"

Grovyle's sighed. "What now?"

"You said 'paranoid!'"

Grovyle blew the air out of his cheeks in exasperation. "I did not, Hero." He closed his eyes, trying to suppress his scowl. Now composed, he turned to Celebi. "Am I right in thinking that there is a Time Gear here?"

"There is," said Celebi. "In the past there was a secret passage that lead to the Time Gear's chamber."

"I suppose you're going to want to check that she's not lying," said Grovyle, speaking to Hero but determinedly not looking at her.

"No, I don't," Hero replied shortly, a bitter taste in her mouth. Tears stung her eyes, and she wiped them away hurriedly before anyone could see. She wished she could just say _I'm sorry_.

"How do we open that passage, Celebi?" Grovyle asked. Celebi looked surprised at the question. "We'll need to know," said Grovyle. "When we go to the past, we'll need to." He paused. "Speaking of that topic, Celebi, we were hoping…"

"I will take you to the past," she said, nodding and smiling. "When you are ready, come to my home at Dusk Forest. It's on the map, so you won't need to figure out any puzzle or anything." She giggled embarrassedly.

"About the passage," said Hero, crossing her arms again.

"Yes, about that," said Celebi, turning to Grovyle as if he had been the one to ask. Hero flicked her fingers in annoyance. "The truth is, my dear Grovyle, I have not the foggiest idea."

"_What?_" Grovyle's breath hissed out all at once, eyes wide in shock. "But—you—" He groaned, touching his temple.

"But I have more information," Celebi tittered. She buzzed up and down in distress. "Before the world was paralyzed, the legendary Pokémon of willpower guarded these parts. His name was Azelf. Azelf had two siblings, the Being of Emotion and the Being of Knowledge, and they also guarded Time Gears. A Mismagius took over Mesprit's territory, and I hear an Onix—"

"Yes, we know," said Grovyle, thinking of the Onix he had killed. "Let me think." He began to pace back and forth. Hero knew that look. He was deep in thought. She could hear snippets of him muttering to himself.

"I see… of the three spiritual elements of knowledge, emotion, and willpower… Azelf is the being of willpower. Willpower is the motivation that drives us. It's a unifying power. To unify is to make one. Azelf lives at Crystal Lake. Then Azelf's spirit must be affected by the crystals… so if the colors of the crystals were made one… the path should reveal itself. What is the color of Azelf's spirit? That is the question."

"Does he always…?" ventured Celebi, tentative.

Hero shrugged. "Pretty much. He's the brains." _Obviously. Because I clearly have none, to have dug myself into this fight._

Grovyle looked up. "Hero, do you think you could try—"

She nodded. "I know. I'm on it."

She paused, took a deep breath. Slowly, she walked to one of the strange, towering rock formations. Closing her eyes, all she could hear thudding in her ears was her heartbeat. _Buh-dum… buh-dum… buh-dum…_ she stretched out a hand… the tips of her fingers brushed the surface of the rock.

(Many thanks to my beta, Shinzoku.)


	31. To the Death

Hero reeled back, gasping. Grovyle was there, gently scooping her up and making sure she was steady on her feet.

"Are you okay?" cried Celebi in alarm, hands clasping her face.

"Yes. It's just the Scream." Hero nodded, composing herself.

"What did you see?" asked Grovyle.

Hero closed her eyes as if remembering. It had been so strange. "I saw two Pokémon. They were both still in their first evolution, probably pretty young. The cavern was covered floor to ceiling with sparkling, multicolored gems… and towering above everything were three crystals. The first of the Pokémon touched a crystal, and it changed colors. Once they turned all the crystals to blue, a passageway opened…"

What she didn't know how to explain was that—that this vision had been different. Not the same. She had never seen those two young Pokémon before in her life, and yet… she inexplicably understood them. Not only that. Usually when she triggered the Dimensional Scream, she was viewing everything from a godlike vantage point from above. This time, she had _been_ a Pokémon.

"Are you alright?" asked Grovyle. Hero realized that she was wearing a troubled expression. She shook it off and forced a smile.

"I know how to open the passageway," said Celebi.

"I'd hope so, considering that I just told you." Grovyle lifted his eyebrows.

"No, I mean I can open it _now,_" said Celebi. "It's simple, really." She smiled. "I just pop back in time and open the passageway before the crystals had turned to stone—shortly after the world was paralyzed. Then it would be open now."

"Well, _that_ doesn't sound dangerous at all," Hero muttered under her breath, shaking her head and leaning against the wall.

"Couldn't that… change things?" asked Grovyle cautiously.

"Nonsense, Grovy; it would be child's play." With a pop and a poof of sparkles, Celebi disappeared, waving goodbye.

There was some awkward silence. Hero finally said, "Grovy…?"

"Shut up." But he said it with that half-grin of his. Hero felt her limbs go weak with relief. This was closest to a civilized conversation as they'd had in days.

She had to apologize before she lost her nerve. Stepping forward, she said, "Grovyle, I'm—"

The rest of her sentence was drowned out by a loud rumbling. The ground shook, and they both staggered a half step. It was the weirdest thing, because for a second, they were hearing rumbling at the same time as they were hearing silence; for a second, they saw an open passageway at the same time as a blank wall. Then something clicked, and there it was, stairs, as if they had always been there.

Grovyle sighed. "Definitely changed things."

With a pop, Celebi appeared again, sparkles showering the area. "Just like I said, my dear Grovyle. Easy as winking." She smiled at him.

"Thank you very much, Celebi," said Grovyle, nodding his appreciation. To Hero, he said, "Shall we?"

"We shall." She hesitated, only because it looked like Grovyle wanted to say something else. Instead, he just sighed and glumly went down the stairs.

"Something happen between the two of you?" asked Celebi, all wide-eyed innocence.

"Just picking up on that, huh," Hero snarled, following him down.

-0-

At the bottom was another chamber, much larger than the last one. The Time Gear pedestal was near the entrance, and beyond it, the ground sloped down and then up again, like a huge bowl. It was the dry lakebed.

Hero nodded to the pedestal. "I guess that says it," she said, but she walked toward it to touch it anyway. There was no reason to cause the Dimensional Scream again, now that their theory had been proved, except… she jumped on every opportunity to get away from this paralyzed world. If only for a few moments.

Before she could even reach out her hand, a huge gust of icy wind blew through the cavern. Celebi, Grovyle, and Hero all cried out as they hit the ground.

"Hello," said a Pokémon. She had no legs and levitated above the ground. Her body was composed of strange crystals and glass and wore an imperious expression. She seemed strong.

"Oh, Arceus," muttered Grovyle, scooting away from the Pokémon. "I assume you're the guardian of these parts?"

"I wouldn't quite say _guardian_," the Pokémon purred. There was an otherworldly musical tone to her voice, like tinkling bells. "But this is my home. It's quite rude of you to intrude. But now that you're here, wouldn't you like to… play a little?"

Celebi squeaked loudly. "Th-this isn't good, Grovyle!" she stuttered. "That Pokémon is obviously an ice type, and, and y-you and I are grass!"

"Get out of here," Hero said instantly, pulling herself up to her feet and backing away. But she kept herself between the guardian and her friends. "I can beat an ice type in no time flat."

"Celebi, get out of here," Grovyle ordered. He moved fluidly into a fighting stance. "Hero and I can—"

"_Grovyle!_" Hero cried. "You wouldn't even withstand one Blizzard—"

An Icy Wind blew through the cavern. "Bored now," the Pokémon drawled. She lifted her hands. The icicles, sharp as a blade, erupted from the Pokémon's hands and shot directly at Grovyle's heart.

Grovyle tucked-and-rolled, the icicles sticking into the solid stone wall behind him.

Hero was already behind the Pokémon. A swift karate chop to the back of her neck made her cry out and stagger in midair. Celebi—who had ignored Grovyle and stayed—flung her hands out, and vines crawled up the Pokémon's body, tying its hands to its side. Meanwhile Grovyle ran at the immobilized Pokémon, Leaf Blade at the ready. And behind them, the wall exploded.

"Wheh-heh-heh!"

Sableye poured through the hole in the hundreds. Dust swirled in the air, reducing visibility to zero. Huge blocks of stone and rubble were strewn across the cavern.

Dusknoir entered the room.

Hero, coughing, shoved rubble off her and rolled over. Her throat and eyes burned, the breath had been knocked out of her, and she felt like she was suffocating. Her panicked thoughts were for Grovyle.

Relief washed over her as she heard his strangled voice screaming from across the cavern: "Dusknoir! There are such things as STAIRS!"

Dusknoir gave a deep, rumbling chuckle. "Ah, but I hoped that one of you might be brained by the wreckage. It would make my task _so _much easier."

As Hero wheezed for breath, a kind of panic overtook her like none she'd ever felt before. Hundreds of Sableye—legions! Waves of purple filled her vision. How could she ever hope to fight this many? She could hardly fend off twenty, with Grovyle's help! Didn't Dusknoir know the meaning of the word _overkill?_

Hero rolled over and crouched, prepared to fend off any attacks, but the lines and lines of Sableye stood motionless. Dusknoir was not smiling. His face was grim as death, his hands folded behind his back.

"So we meet again, Hero," he said, turning to her. "You've given us quite a little run. But it's over now." He smirked. "And you've even handed us Celebi on a platter. I thank you sincerely."

Hero's skin crawled. She bared her teeth. "You're not taking us in."

Dusknoir just snorted. "Don't worry, child, you _will _be taken in alive. If you're hoping to die here, it's not going to hap—"

"Ah, Dusknoir, always one for banter," said Grovyle, picking himself out of the rubble and dusting himself off. "But you're all talk and no bite!"

Dusknoir's continued talking and refused to look at the grass type. "—pen. I suppose I should ask—"

"You're less frightening than a Slugma! Coming with armies of Sableye, laying ambushes in the night. You're too afraid to fight like a man, aren't you?" Grovyle cocked his head, arrogance and anger burning in his eyes.

Now Dusknoir's eyes flicked to Grovyle. His speech faltered. It seemed like he was finding it difficult to stay on track with Grovyle's goading ringing in his ears. "—if you will come in quietly."

Hero gave a malicious grin. Inside, her heart hammered with terror, and Celebi looked horrified at Grovyle's brazen words. But if this was it… if this was it, then nothing mattered. It was all worth it to see this.

No! Hero's smile broke off. It wasn't worth it! She would not give up the world just for the satisfaction of seeing Dusknoir with his panties in a twist. She spun around, eyes beseeching Grovyle. "Grovyle!" _Stop before it's too late!_

"You're a coward!" Grovyle shouted.

A vein pulsed in Dusknoir's forehead. "Sableye!" he ordered.

"…Attack!"

The Sableye leaped with claws outstretched.

Hero screamed even as she flung out her arm and knocked several away. She pivoted, and Sableye missed and flew by her. She streamed into a crouch and surged upwards, throwing three or four Sableye away, and then swung to the side and reversed the direction of several more via sharp prod with the foot. But there were so many.

Dusknoir had somehow gotten right to Grovyle amidst all the chaos. Grovyle's face had a mixture of fear and anger. Dusknoir's was mottled with uncontrollable, frenzied rage. Fear shot up through Hero all over again. What a monster.

A Sableye swiped its razor sharp claws and scored three gashes across her cheek. She gasped at the pain and was reminded that she, too, was in battle.

Her thoughts turned to Celebi suddenly, and Hero glanced around to see the legendary. She was covered with writhing purple bodies. Hero was about to go over to try and help when Celebi threw open a portal of time. The Sableye were sucked off her and into the vortex. She smirked and looked triumphant for a moment, when suddenly she was pulled in. The portal closed and disappeared.

Several heavy, condensed explosions sounded at Hero's back. Shadow Ball.

The whole time, she heard Grovyle's shouting voice. His suave smack-talking had dissolved into nothing more than a string of insults. "Murderer! Kidnapper! Idiot! Monster!" Meanwhile, Dusknoir just roared and doubled the intensity of his attacks. Grovyle couldn't defend himself; he could only dodge and try to use his agility to get away.

"Ack!" Hero staggered as a Sableye leaped onto her back, claws digging through her clothes and into her flesh. "Get off me!" Snarling, she whipped around, trying to dislodge it, but a second one leaped onto her. Their combined weight made her trip to her knees, where the Sableye converged on her like a river. She cried out.

Grovyle heard her. Eyes widening, he glance back at Dusknoir, then jumped over some rubble in an attempt to get to her.

"Grovyle! Don't!" Hero shouted. She didn't want him to concentrate on her. She needed help, but _he _needed to devote his full attention to…

"Dusknoir," she breathed. She had tried to scream it as a warning, but her throat suddenly constricted, her chest feeling like there was an anvil of terror on it, and it barely came out as a whisper.

Grovyle had just been starting to turn his head and look back at Dusknoir when the Shadow Ball blasted into his back.

Immediately he collapsed and didn't move. It was that fast.

Dusknoir's face, though smoldering, was unreadable. But Hero was paying no attention to him. She threw the Sableye off with a strength she didn't know she had and ran to Grovyle's still form. When she was near enough that she could see him, she stopped dead and jerked back. Red—there was red everywhere—

The sight made her find her voice.

"GROVYLE!"

Her chest fluttering, feeling so shaky that she might crumble at any second, she took the next couple of steps that brought her to his side, and clamped her hands over her mouth. He stared without seeing at the ceiling with wide, shell-shocked eyes, but in moments, lost consciousness.

She dropped by his side in an instant, panic welling up, her head wagging from side to side and taking in the many enemies that surrounded. They had to get away; they had to get out of here... but with Grovyle like this… how?

She settled into her decision with surprising ease, and stood over Grovyle protectively. She glared at all those around her. She wouldn't leave him. Either they'd escape together or die together… for she would kill him and then herself before letting them be captured.

(So ends Part Three. Come back and read Part Four, the second to last part of What Happened Before. You can look at the art cover of What Happened Before at the account TillDeathDies in Deviantart .com. And remember to tip my beta—with reviews.)


	32. Trust

"I surrender!"

Even as the words came out of Hero's mouth—she was crouching, preparing to surge up at Dusknoir while he was still taken off guard—there was a flash behind her. She just barely saw it, out of the corner of her eye. The shower of sparkles.

"Grovyle!" came the shrill scream of surprise. Hero knew that high pitched voice!

Hero didn't even think; she didn't even consider what she was doing. In seconds she had Grovyle over her shoulder, and she dove through Celebi's portal.

Light flashed before her eyes, and then it was dark. She gasped in the cool night air, her heart still pounding. _Where am I?_

Grovyle!

Hero spun around and collapsed beside him. They were in a wide field of rugged terrain, the dead grass as tall as her thighs. Grovyle looked almost swallowed up by it, a dark stain where Hero had dropped him. His face was so peaceful that it sent a jolt of fear through Hero. But his chest was still rising and falling shallowly. _Thank Arceus!_

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the injury on his back. She pressed her hands into it. She didn't want to hurt him, but she didn't know where her bag had gone, and she had to stop the bl-bleeding.

"Celebi!" She looked around frantically. "Somebody!"

"Shh. I'm here." Even the sparkles that cascaded from Celebi as she appeared looked depressed. The legendary Pokémon's face was solemn. "You're doing fine."

"Will he—"

"Don't be silly, child. He's going to live. Now move on over. You've done your part, but now you have to be careful to follow my instructions." With relief, Hero stepped back and let Celebi take her place. She looked down at the dark smears on her hands and almost choked on the bile welling up in her throat.

"What can I do?" Hero asked Celebi, peering over Celebi's shoulder.

"Go to your bag and get me all the Oran berries you have. And get rid of these," the legendary added, nose wrinkled in disgust as she began to pull any remnants of shadow out of Grovyle's wound. Hero took them, shuddering, and stamped them into the ground, crushing them beneath her heel. Then she spun around and tried to figure out where Celebi had put her bag.

It was going to be a long night.

"Arceus," whispered Hero, looking up to the sky, "if you're out there…" She paused. She didn't want to beg for Grovyle's life. Celebi already told her that Grovyle would live, and asking god for him to live would indicate that she had some suspicion he would die.

Hatred burned in her stomach. "…give Dusknoir what's coming to him," she finished.

"Where are those Oran berries, Hero?"

"I'm coming!" she yelled.

(Thanks to my beta, Shinzoku.

Also… I hate to have to address this problem, but I'm afraid I must. The last thing I want is to seem ungrateful. But when I see six anonymous reviews on the same day, almost at the same time, all bearing the same message but for a word or two and telling me to hurry up and update, it makes me feel like someone's been spamming my story in the hope that I'll add new chapters sooner.

I'm so grateful for your reviews, but please do not do that. It won't make me update this story any sooner. I have set times when I do that. And remember that you are not only spamming this story, but my personal email account as well. If it happens again, I'll be forced to disable anonymous reviews, which I don't want to do for the sake of those who actually use the function properly.

Thank you so much for reading, as always!)


	33. Dear Grovyle

"Urk…"

"He's coming to," Hero murmured. She took the damp rag off Grovyle's forehead and wrung it out.

"No, he isn't," Celebi corrected with a dainty sigh. Grovyle had been fitful for the past couple of hours, and every time he made a noise Hero jumped, hopeful.

It was the day after the attack. They leaned Grovyle up against a gnarled, dead tree that reminded Hero of the one they had hid in together the day they met. His eyes were closed, but he wasn't unconscious now—it was more like a natural sleep. "He's recuperating; we have to let him rest." Celebi shooed her away when she tried to wake him.

_She wants him,_ Hero thought as she watched Celebi take care of Grovyle. Maybe it was the Florence nightingale effect, but Celebi's eyes definitely turned moony whenever she look at Grovyle. Hero heaved a sigh.

Celebi was beginning to get on her nerves, and it was conflicting. On one hand, Celebi was the only reason that she and Grovyle were alive, so a part of Hero was filled with undying gratefulness. The other side thought that if she heard Celebi coo "Dear Grovyle, adorable Celebi is here to take care of you" one more time, she would explode.

"I collected some more berries," Hero announced, dropping the food in front of Celebi. For hours now, she'd been patrolling the field keeping an eye out for Sableye and gathering resources for when they would finally leave.

"Thank you, Hero," Celebi replied, giving a nod, pink antennae bouncing and leaning back over Grovyle.

_How come she calls Grovyle 'dear Grovyle' and I'm just Hero?_ Hero wondered as she made to leave camp.

"…Celebi?" Hero heard a weak voice behind her.

Hero spun around and ran back to camp. Grovyle was trying to sit up, wincing. "Ouch…"

"Don't get up, Grovyle," Hero commanded, dropping to her knees by him and making him lie down. "You were fighting Dusknoir, and…"

He looked like he was falling asleep again. "Did I kick Dusknoir's ass?" he murmured.

"Yeah, you did," Hero replied soothingly. "You kicked his ghostly ass from here to kingdom come."

"…Cool…" He fell asleep again.

Hero looked up at Celebi. "That meant he's healing, right?"

"Ye-s," she answered, but her eyebrows were furrowed. "However, it would go a lot more quickly if we had some real medical material here instead of just Oran Berries. A Reviver Seed would do him wonders right now."

Hero let out her breath, flopping onto her back. "Just how long will it be without one?"

Celebi mumbled something.

"What?"

Celebi lifted her voice. "I said, perhaps two weeks. Perhaps two and a half."

Hero flinched. "_Two weeks!_" That was too long, way too long. "How would we get a Reviver Seed?"

"You can't find them in the wild. They're sold in settlements… they're rather pricy."

"We can't just steal one?" Hero asked desperately.

"They're usually guarded by Shadow Sneak-using Kecleon."

"Aughhh." _Why won't the world just go away?_

(Thanks to my beta, Shinzoku.)


	34. Part Ways

Celebi groggily opened her eyes. _Eek… how long did I sleep in? _She felt so tired, she could barely hold her eyelids up. Maybe it would be nicer to just go back to bed… those berries Hero gave her had made her feel so slee—

Berries? Celebi forced herself to sit up, even though the world was blurry through her eyes because of tiredness. She couldn't believe it! _Did Hero drug me last night? Why?_

Celebi looked around, fighting—and losing—against overwhelming exhaustion. With a dull jolt, she realized that there was a note stuck to Grovyle's forehead. As he breathed in and out, the paper fluttered. She crawled over to him and stretched out a tiny, trembling pink hand.

The note read:

_Deer Grovyle (even tho Celebi is probubly going to find this first, so plese give this to him),_

_First off I am sory. I no you are going to be mad at me wen you find out what I did. This probubly is not sumthing that you wuld do, but it's the best thing for our mission, and you can't deni that. I am going to find the next TG by myself and we can meet up at the tree we hid in the first day. Be thare in two weeks._

_Your partner, Hero_

"Hero!" Celebi's eyes were beginning to close. No! She had—she had to find Hero—before she had gotten too far away—

It was no use. Sleep overcame her once more.

(Trollololol.

Blame my beta, Shinzoku.)


	35. Moving Forward, But Not Leaving Behind

The maps were in her bag. She also took enough food for two days, and she took the maps and the Blast Seeds. But she left all the medicine for Celebi and Grovyle. She wouldn't need it, anyway; she wasn't planning on getting herself injured.

Hero breathed calmly, deeply, easily; she climbed over the boulder and slithered down to the other side.

No, she wouldn't let herself be bothered by this. She made her decision to leave Celebi and Grovyle. She'd stayed up all night thinking it over. Then she drugged Celebi, kissed Grovyle on the forehead, wrote the note, and took off.

She headed west now. She was at the bottom of a deep ravine, picking her way through the rocks. The sky above was a light gray screen. Hero paused. She stretched, a yawn bubbling out. It was already past noon, and she'd been travelling since the middle of last night when she left Grovyle.

No… she had still more distance to put between them. She was still uncertain as to the extent of Celebi's powers. That would have been something she asked Grovyle about. Grovyle, the plan-maker. She gave a sigh.

"I can still do it without him," she reminded herself, getting back to her feet and finding a handhold on the next boulder. "I found the Time Gear in Treeshroud Forest before I knew him. And now I'm alone again. I can still do it."

After she found the Gear, the next step was to return to Treeshroud Forest. Grovyle should be waiting for her there… she hoped so, at least, instead of him or Celebi chasing after her. Celebi would surely panic, but if Grovyle was awake, she knew—this thought assured her—she knew that he would trust her to do it on her own.

Besides, after that fight she picked with him… she sighed. _Stupid!_ The thought of it still made her cheeks burn.

She was getting ahead of herself. The first step was to find the Time Gear.

Something howled nearby. Hero's head jerked up. Where did it come from…? Her eyes darted toward a gap between two rocks. Within it, an orange light was slightly flickering.

Hero smiled darkly, eyes grim. She cracked her knuckles. It was about time she had a good fight.

Two Pokémon erupted from the crevice. One was as tall as her chest: a large, fiery dog with demon-like horns curling up around its head. A Houndoom. The other was a smaller version of it, wearing a skull over its face, Houndoom's pre-evolution Houndour.

Hero smirked.

The Houndoom leaped at her, but she easily rolled out of the attack's path. The Houndour batted a paw at Hero's head; she knocked it away with a hand, but the Houndoom jumped on top of her. She kicked it, both feet connecting solidly with its chest. It was sent flying, hitting the rock wall of the ravine. She gave a wicked grin, pretending that it was Dusknoir she had hit.

Whimpering, the Houndoom fled alongside the Houndour.

Hero stretched, bouncing on her feet. That felt good.

Anyway, back to business.

Limestone Cavern was her next objective. It was the last Time Gear… the very last one. She felt her heart soaring. Treeshroud, Fogbound, Underground, Crystal… Limestone was all that was left.

After that, she would meet with Grovyle and Celebi would bring them to the past… she looked up at the gray sky. She would see the sun. She couldn't even begin to imagine what _wind _would feel like. Part of her thought it was just a myth—how could there exist something that you can't see, can't taste, can't hold, but you can feel it on your skin and hear it blow?

There was only one problem.

Everybody knew about Limestone Cavern, the legendary holding place of the fifth Time Gear. Everybody knew _about _it, but _nobody_ knew where it was. Most people thought it was a myth; of course, most people thought Time Gears and the Dimensional Scream were myths too, like the stories mothers told children about evil humans who would enslave Pokémon in orbs called Poké Balls.

Hero grunted as she pulled herself onto a boulder. She jumped and caught the lip of the cliff top; she pulled herself over and flopped onto the ground, panting.

There was only one place, a warren of tunnels, which sounded similar to the myths. It was said that the tunnels made up a huge underground maze, and once you entered, you'd never come out.

Sounded like a Time Gear to her.

Hero let out a choking laugh, laying on the ground at the top of the ravine and pressing her hands over her eyes. _Arceus._ A never ending maze did _not _sound like the kind of place you went alone. She missed Grovyle already. A second pair of eyes was always handy.

Especially in mazes.

Freaking mazes.

(Many thanks to my beta, Shinzoku!)


	36. X Marks the Spot

Hero slid down the sandy incline.

It looked like some kind of abandoned mine, the tunnels. The ground was soft, good-feeling sand that she dug her toes into as she walked. The cavern was at the center of a small valley.

Hero's foot knocked against something. She looked down. It was a Cubone skull.

Maybe the sand wasn't as nice as she first thought.

And ahead was the gaping mouth of the death trap she knew was Limestone Cavern. There was a rickety sign at the front. It had a red X splashed over it and proclaimed, STOP! DO NOT ENTER! UNSTABLE!

Hero snorted, pushing it over as she passed. _Dream on, sign._

At the entrance, she hesitating, peering into the pitch blackness. There would be no way to see once she was inside. She dug through her satchel, spirits plummeting. There was only one Luminescence Orb there. Good for… ten minutes. Perhaps.

_That means only five minutes of walking. If I don't find it by then, I have to go back,_ she thought.

She chewed her lip. Was it worth the risk? Should she leave in the pursuit of better supplies and come back when she was prepared?

Did she have the time to waste for that?

Holding the orb in her armpit, Hero plunged into the blackness.

(Many thanks to my beta, Shinzoku.)


	37. Limestone Cavern

The orb in her hands lit the maze admirably, enveloping Hero in a sphere of light, barely battling off the darkness that surrounded her. Time seemed to crawl; goosebumps rose on her skin as she counted the seconds, _one-onethousand, two-onethousand, three-onethousand._ She had spent her time in a lot of caves, but none of them made her crave the sky as much as this one did.

One law of mazes was that if you continue turning right at every intersection, you'll eventually make your way around to the back, and therefore the exit. Same law goes for turning left. Hero knew this. She chose right, and so every time the path split, that's the direction she turned.

Her plan blew up in her face when she hit a dead end.

She stared at the wall. Seconds later, something horrible happened, and she was sure of only one thing—she'd been in here for only a minute.

So why did the Luminescence Orb flare and go out?

Everything was black.

Pure black.

_Oh my Arceus, oh my Arceus! _Bile rose in Hero's throat, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. She dropped the orb, hearing glass tinkle as it shattered. She began to grope at the walls. It _couldn't_ be a dead end! She _couldn't _be standing here in the dark, in a gigantic maze harboring a Time Gear, trapped at a dead end!

She felt a scream rising in her throat. Her foot stepped on a shard of glass; she felt bright pain, then wet blood. Her knees hit the floor.

_Flash!_

A dimly lit maze, three Pokémon standing in a clearing—a Lopunny, a Gardevoir, a Medicham. And then, an—an _apple, _a Perfect Apple, if Hero wasn't mistaken, rolling straight out of the wall, and a Wigglytuff emerging after it. The four Pokémon tentatively approached the wall, reaching out and touching it. It shimmered like water. An illusion! They looked at each other and stepped on through.

_Flash!_

Hero fell back, gasping. She lay on the floor of the maze, still completely blinded, as her rapid heartbeat settled. She had a migraine.

Peace started to settle over her. Unsteadily, she got to her feet and crawled in the direction of the dead end. She closed her eyes, anticipating the wall that she was sure to walk into—

Nothing. She crawled on through. She didn't knock into a thing. And the light… the light was slowly starting to return, the tunnel growing ever more illuminated, all by itself—no orb. Soon she could make out the contours of the walls, and the ground, which was starting to angle downward, bringing her deep, deep into the earth.

By the time that the tunnel ended, Hero could see quite clearly, in fact.

It emptied out into a small room, perhaps five feet by five feet. The walls were brick, intricately carved with hieroglyphs—Unown glyphs and footprint runes, if she was correct. She wished Grovyle was here, for the umpteenth time. He would be able to read them. The room was supported by four pillars, and in the center of them was a small pedestal, notched with familiar grooves.

Pleasure began to spread through Hero, warming her from the inside out. The Time Gear. She'd found it—_without _Grovyle. She almost forgot the pain in her foot. She took several excited, limping steps forward, her fingers reaching out to brush the pedestal—she wanted to see it—she wanted to see the beautiful world that this had once been—

_So you have come._

Hero's arm froze, her hand just centimeters away from the pedestal. Where had that eerie voice come from? It wasn't out loud—it had been in her head. Was it a psychic Pokémon? She dropped low to the ground, baring her teeth.

_I knew you would be here eventually, exploiter of time. And I have never been wrong._

"Who are you?" Hero ventured, speaking loudly. She drew herself up, glaring around. "Show yourself!"

_I once had a body, but that was long ago,_ whispered the voice. _I was all and I was nothing. I was myself and I was all others; I was the shapeless one, I was the stealer of faces. You knew me as I knew you._

"You're making no sense," she snapped. "I've never met you. Now show yourself, you coward; make this a fair fight!"

_A fight?_ The voice wheezed with laughter. _Is that what you want, Hero? Just another fight in the never-ending string of violence? Another enemy you can surpass? Another foe you can bring down? Are you afraid of the unseen?_

"I'm not _afraid _of anything."

_Then why do you deny that you know me?_ asked the voice regretfully. _I knew you long ago… long before this world had ended and when we were still in the time of light…_

Hero froze.

"Do you mean…" Hero swallowed. "Did I come here before? In the past? …_Before the world was paralyzed?_"

_Indeed, now you remember. You came and we fought; you bested me and I allowed you to retrieve my treasure, the glory of this place._ _The Time Gear._

"We did it," Hero breathed. Then she yelled, "YES! WE DID IT! We managed to go back in time! We came here! We got the Time Gear!"

_Mm._

"Does this mean that we're going to succeed?" Hero looked around eagerly, as if somehow the voice was crouching on the ceiling or in the shadowy corners. "Does this mean that Grovyle and I _will _go back in time and save the world?"

_I know not. But you came here when I still had a body; and you conquered… you obtained the Gear. You spoke of your plans to return it to Temporal Tower. You spoke of your plans to face the lord of time and save him from his impending madness._

"Impending… madness?"

_Yes, even as we spoke, that day long ago, the world was unraveling; it was coming apart at its seams. Dialga's palace was crumbling even at that very moment, its foundations coming apart; as it did so, it ripped apart the foundations of the world itself._

"Paralyzing it," Hero finished grimly. "Does that mean we… _didn't_ finish? We didn't put all the Time Gears in place in time? …We didn't save the world?"

_I do not know._ _Many things are shifting. Monumental events are taking place. Nothing that happened in the past is for certain anymore; something has come that is changing everything. A dark force stirring… the lord of nightmares… the Pitch Black Pokémon…_

"Lord of nightmares? Well, I definitely know who's the lord of all _my _nightmares," Hero growled in a guttural voice. "Dusknoir. That monster. If anyone is more 'pitch black' than him—"

_Who is Dusknoir?_

"What?" Hero cried. "You were just talking about him, you…" She trailed off, ice cold chills running up her spine. She whispered, "But… if it's not Dusknoir, then… then who…?" Silence. "Hello?" No reply. "Helloooo?"

The voice was gone.

(LET ME APOLOGIZE SINCERELY FOR THIS RIDICULOUS WAIT. I will make What Happened Before my first priority and work on nothing else until it is finished. Soooorryyyy!

Cookies for anyone who remembers who the guardian of Limestone Cavern is!)


	38. Falling Skies

A huge forest sprawled out around her, but there was no wind blowing, and no sun or warmth. There was every shade of blacks and grays, but no color to be seen; dew hung suspended from blades of grass. Everything was dark. This was a paralyzed world, frozen in time. Nothing moving, nothing changing.

The hollow tree was pitch black inside, and not very roomy. Hero smiled to herself as she strode towards it, excitement thrumming in every pore, every molecule of her being. _Grovyle! _In seconds, she would see Grovyle! Oh, she missed him, her partner, her friend. She remembered how Grovyle and she had hid in that same tree from the Sableye on the first day they met. They'd been squashed together, so close that they could feel the each other's trembling.

Hero came to a stop before the tree.

"Grovyle?" she called softly. She looked around. Was he inside the tree? She crouched, peering inside. "It's He—" There was a scrap of paper inside the tree. Hero snatched it up, and literally cried out.


	39. On My Way

Hero staggered back, her heart stopping, her fingers digging into the paper as she read the letter. It was written in careful, neat script on the back of a wanted poster... Grovyle's wanted poster.

_Dearest Hero,_

_How I wish I was there myself to greet you! I know that you were expecting someone… your green friend, perhaps? Let me be the messenger and tell you that Master Dialga was most pleased to finally meet Grovyle's acquaintance. Thank you _ever _so much, by the way, for having him wait here so patiently, almost like a sitting duck._

Hero couldn't even cry as she read it; her eyes were too stretched wide from shock, from disbelief. Her heart thudded to the bottom of her toes. The letter explained why Celebi hadn't come to warn her about Grovyle's demise. The pink Pokémon had escaped, but too wounded to be of much use at all. She was presumed to be dead from her grievous injuries, which were described at length.

Hero's hands shook as she read about Grovyle stubbornly insisting that Hero would _not _come for him, that it was pointless for them to hold him hostage—they might as well just kill him, since there was no way Hero would be stupid enough to walk into a trap for him.

_And yes, of _course_ this is a trap, _read the letter. _You are intelligent enough to realize that. Your friend Grovyle knows that you will realize it. That's why you aren't coming, he says. I asked him, do you think so poorly of Hero's friendship? His answer was, word for word: "Don't judge her, you scum; Hero is the best friend I could _ever _have. Our friendship will last forever. But we have an understanding: the mission comes first. That's why it won't be anything personal when she doesn't come save me." Of course, I had to properly… _punish_ him for insulting me so._

_Funny enough, I daresay that I understand you better than Grovyle does, Hero. After all, I know what Grovyle refuses to believe: that you will come running to him like a mouse into a trap. _Regardless _of the consequences._

_Perhaps you doubt me—perhaps you do not believe that I understand you as well as I say. Let me clear your doubts. I will proceed to list what would happen if Grovyle dies._

_You would be shattered from the inside out. You need him. You wouldn't be able to live without him. He's like your other half; losing him would be like losing a limb. He rules by his head, you rule by his heart. Who will balance you out if he is gone? You would break. You would be reduced to no more than a broken toy, laying at my feet. Useless. You would give up all hope._

_Now you wonder why I don't just kill him, then, so that you would no longer be a threat. Believe me this, Hero._

_I _will _kill him, if you do not appear. He will be gone forever. _Dead.

_But I would rather not do that, and I know you don't want me to do that either! Believe me, I really hate that grass type Pokémon. I would love to see his cold, stiff body, bones broken and crusted with blood. That would break you._

_I don't want you broken._

_I want you mine… and after I've had my fill, I want you dead._

_So then, Hero the human. I am certain I will see you soon. I eagerly await the day when we reunite…_

—_Dusknoir._

(HATERS GONNA HATE~

In reality I LOVE torturing my favorite characters, so expect me to abuse Grovyle in the future. :)


	40. Just Hold On

Hero didn't know what she was supposed to feel first—horror, revulsion, despair.

But in reality, she felt no weakness at all.

Her legs did not shake as she stood.

No tears dripped down her cheek.

She _was _horrified, she _was _repulsed, and she _did _know what the consequences of her actions would be… that it could cost her life… but these emotions did not make her weak.

Instead?

She felt strong. Stronger than ever. Determined. Resolved.

-0-

What do you do when you expect to die?

What do you do when your last hours will be in a cell?

What do you do when every minute is filled with agony?

With fists and darkness?

Burning hot rods?

Pliers?

Daggers?

Poison, claws, teeth?

The only sound—"Wheh-heh-heh".

-0-

Hero stood up. The letter dropped from her fingers, and she ground it grimly beneath her heel, eyes flashing with fire. Bloodlust. She wanted to see Dusknoir broken, battered, bleeding, lying limp at her feet.

She did not look back as she ran, not walked, out of Treeshroud Forest.

-0-

What do you do when your best friend isn't going to come?

Your partner?

What do you do when you _don't _want her to come, for her own sake…

…but your one desire would be to see her face one more time?

To say "I'm sorry" about all the things that had gone unsaid?

-0-

_Oh, Arceus, Grovyle, _was Hero's only thought. _Hold on! _She crossed mountains and valleys and plains. She traversed hundreds of miles in a matter of days, and though her legs hurt so badly she wasn't even still sure they were done there, she travelled in a frenzy like she never had before.

She wanted to scream. _WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM, DUSKNOIR? _ Torturing him? Breaking his bones? Listening to him scream? She could almost hear the Sableye laughing! Oh, isn't Dusknoir so pleased with himself right now! Surely he's not giving Grovyle an ounce of rest. From Dusknoir's letter—which, for whatever reason, Hero didn't think was a lie—it sounded like Grovyle had already given up on himself. No, not given up—resigned. He had resigned himself to his fate. Grovyle probably just thought of himself as a casualty to this war.

-0-

What do you do, especially, when the little pink goddess that had fought so valiantly for your life was beaten bloody right before you? What do you do when she's probably dead—for you, who will be dead yourself in a matter of days?

_What do you do?_

Grovyle didn't know.

(No, this is not the last of the angst. The WHOLE next chapter is dedicated to Grovyle Angst. I've had it written for months, I've been so eager to get to this point.)


	41. Arguing With Death

Grovyle bartered a small bouncy ball off one of the Sableye guards. That occupied his attention for awhile, until Dusknoir came down to gloat some more and took it away. He'd tried working out, practicing Quick Attack, Bullet Seed, or Leaf Blade—Dig was useless here, where the ground was as enforced as the walls—but the futility of it all made him give up, depressed. He would not be able to fight his way out of his fate, so why practice?

His prison was not completely empty. There was an uncomfortable cot equipped with a pillow and a threadbare blanket. He had already tried sleeping, which didn't work. There was nothing to occupy his time, nothing to stop the thoughts of what was to come.

He tapped rhythms with his fingers, thought, scratched his name on the wall, paced the small cell, twiddled his thumbs, thought, told stories, doodled on the floor, banged his head on the wall, picked his fingernails to nubs, talked fruitlessly to the guards, whistled, thought, jumped, screamed, climbed, thought, clapped, thought, hummed, thought about Hero—

—who as hard as he tried, he wanted to stop thinking about, because he was only torturing himself with all this, but goodness he wished her well on finishing their quest, and he knew that she could find the Time Gears all by herself but he missed her, and ARCEUS was he angry with her for pulling a stunt like that and leaving, what had she been thinking, and even though he wanted her to miss him he hoped she wasn't caught up too much on his execution, but knowing her she'd be devastated, stupid Hero, she should just forget about him, and he knew she was strong enough to move on and do what she needed to do, and icrud,/i he was thinking about her again!—

—thought, sang, winced, wandered the cell, and imagined what the un-paralyzed world would look like… how beautiful it would be.

Too bad he wouldn't live to see it.

Right now he was on to meditating, something he hadn't done in awhile. He often swore he would find time for it, but he was always too tired and just collapsed into bed at night. Besides, Hero would have scoffed.

Man, maybe execution sucked, but imprisonment sucked way harder. There was all that inothing…/i

…except when Dusknoir came to check up on him.

Eyes closed, legs crossed, relax. Breathe in, and out. Don't think about Dusknoir. Just breathe.

Grovyle's body was marked with wounds. There was hardly a spot on his body where the flesh was not scratched or bruised or ground with dirt. His breathing was shallow, because breathing too hard made his tender ribcage and chest hurt. There were no bones broken—Dusknoir liked his prisoners in decent shape when they walked out on that platform. But Dusknoir also liked to… iplay./i

R-relax. Don't think. Breathe in, breathe out.

Grovyle's breath hitched when he heard the door open and close. Despite himself, his hands began to shake. It mighti not/i be Dusknoir anyway. The Sableye could just be switching shifts again.

"You strike me as one who would meditate, Grovyle."

Cold dread made his heart thud to the bottom of his toes. Grovyle opened his eyes. iOh, Arceus, no. Not again! I won't be able to stand it! If he… /i plays iwith me again…/i

Dusknoir stood outside his cell, that calm half-smile of victory on his face. "After all, meditation is useless. It cannot change your circumstances or even your emotions. Your mission to save this world was futile as well."

"You're despicable." Grovyle's insult was hoarse.

Dusknoir laughed, not even ruffled. He leaned casually against the cell bars. "You see, Grovyle, you never cease to amuse me. Look at you, there's no more fire behind your words. You know it's over. All I see in your eyes is ifear./i" He snorted. "You're a coward at heart. All your petty insults, all those setbacks you have caused me…" He smirked. "They will be paid back today. What goes around comes around, as I always say."

Grovyle's nostrils flared, misery and hate plain in his eyes. "Watch your words, Dusknoir. They might just come true. One day, if you make a misstep and anger 'iMaster'/i Dialga, it could be iyou/i on this side of the bars."

Rage mottled Dusknoir's expression. He snarled, slamming his fists against the prison bars with a ibang!/i Startled, Grovyle jumped back, the sharp movement causing his wounds to twinge. He knocked his head on the cot by accident, breath hissing out in pain.

"You know, Grovyle, you are ihi/ilarious," spat Dusknoir, face contorting into true loathing. "I truly wish that I could stay and play a little longer…"

Every muscle in Grovyle's body froze; he stared, alarmed, at Dusknoir, and thought iNot again… I'll break down and tell him everything if he…/i

"…but dawn has come."

Oh.

Grovyle's breath sucked in. A shudder twitched his body.

There was a jangle as the jailer pulled out a ring of keys. The cell door swung inward, and several lines of Sableye trotted in. They seized Grovyle, though he struggled, and threw him to the ground. His arms were forced behind his back. Manacles were snapped onto his wrists.

Dusknoir smiled. "Looks like I get the last word. It is difficult to argue with death."

(Only two more chapter before the end of Part Four!)


End file.
